Daddy Dean
by fanficoholic
Summary: <html><head></head>Harry Winchester has an unusual life. His father, Dean, is a retired hunter, and his mother was born a wand-waving, broomstick riding witch. His grandfather is hunting a demon and his godfather is wanted by the government. If only he were normal...</html>
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Supernatural.

Dean couldn't help but stare at the letter in his hand in shock. He had its veracity checked three times, all by different people, but they all agreed on the same thing. The letter was legit, and therefore the information it contained was also true. He was a father, Dean Winchester was a father to a four year old little boy. He didn't even remember the kid's mom until he realized that she was British. He remembered thinking her accent was sexy, and her emerald eyes were enchanting.

He read the letter once more, hoping that the information would change. It wasn't that he hated the thought of being a dad, even at his age of 24, but he didn't think he would be good for the little boy. He sighed, and rubbed his eyes wearily. Apparently the kid's mom's lawyer had been trying to contact him for years to tell him that the chick and her husband were dead and that he had custody of his son, Harry James. The lawyer explained to Dean that the child was currently staying with his aunt, but the arrangement was temporary and would only stay in effect until the kid turned 5. When the kid's next birthday arrived, he would be celebrating in an orphanage.

Dean felt his heart ache for the boy. Not only did his mom and step-dad die, but his aunt was willing to put him up for adoption instead of raising him. At first he tied to justify the fact that his son's aunt was putting him in one, but after learning who the bitch was and how much money her family had, he couldn't even think about her without fury.

Dean stood up and paced. Harry's flight would be landing in ten minutes, his aunt having put him on a plane as soon as she heard that the lawyer found him. As soon as Dean was informed, barely an hour prior, he drove as quickly as possible to JFK International Airport. Luckily he was on a hunt nearby to the airport and could get there on time. Dean ran his hand through his hair, letting out a slow breath. He was lost. He didn't know how to be a dad; his own father was barely there for him when he was growing up. Sure he raised Sam, but he was ultimately Sam's brother, not father. It was moments like this when he needed his family, but as usual Sam was absorbed in his own little world, and his dad was out on a vengeance trip.

Finally the neon board announced that the 12 o'clock flight from London had arrived on time, signaling Dean to go by the gate to wait for his child. Dean was a nervous wreck. He could easily fight ghosts, and gank homicidal creatures, but putting him in an airport to get his son was ominous. He watched as some passengers exited, waiting anxiously for a little boy. When he finally spotted the child holding unto a stewardess' hand, he became both overcome with joy and rage.

His little boy was adorable. He seemed to have inherited his grandfather's black hair, and his mom's glowing green eyes. The kid was small, smaller than a four year old had any right to be, so small that Dean could practically see his bones through his porcelain white skin. Harry was wearing clothes 4 times too big, and he seemed to be squinting, unable to see properly. The kid looked around in shy curiosity. Dean could tell that he wasn't very used to large crowds, but he was brave and very curious about everything around him. Dean had a feeling that the aunt did not care for her charge while in her care, and that made him was to gank her like the beast she was.

He slowly made his way over to his boy and the stewardess, careful not to startle the youngest Winchester. The stewardess spotted him first, and watched him curiously as he made his way over. Dean pulled out his ID and shoved it in the stewardess' direction, more anxious to greet his son than anything. The little boy stared at him, his face guarded. Dean gave him a timid smile and held out his hand to the kid.

"Hey kid," Dean said, "I'm Dean Winchester, your…dad."

Harry looked at Dean searchingly; his green eyes seemed to stare into Dean's soul. The young father felt like he was being judged, but when he felt the mall boy's arms tentatively wrapped around his neck in a hug, he assumed that he must have passed. Dean wrapped his arms around the boy much more securely and he lifted him up as he stood. His son was startled for a moment before he laid his head on his dad's shoulder and started sucking his thumb. The stewardess smiled warmly at the duo.

"I'm glad you're together," she said, "His aunt is an awful woman." The lady seemed unable to help herself from sharing as she handed Dean his license back. "She practically threw him at me and washed her hands of him. Didn't even stop to make sure he was alright. He's a sweetheart."

Dean gave her one of his most charming smiles, "Must get it from his dad," he boasted cheekily.

The stewardess just smiled and patted Dean's cheek. She said, "Be good for your dad, here. It was lovely meeting you, hun." She then walked off leaving the duo alone for the first time.

Dean cleared his throat awkwardly, and picked up his kid's only bag. He then walked over to the parking lot to his Impala. He sat Harry in the backseat, mentally reminding himself to buy the kid a car seat, and put away the bag. He then climbed into the driver's seat, and began driving to the nearest motel. When they arrived, the kid was half asleep, so Dean had to carry him as well as their bags. They got a room, and Dean allowed the boy to finally drift off into a deep sleep. Dean couldn't help but stare at the kid in awe.

This was his flesh and blood child, a little person who had stolen his heart already. Dean never even considered loving another human being, let alone another male, as much as he loved his son. Dean carefully took off Harry's ratty shoes and too large pants, and tucked the toddler into bed. He decided against looking for his PJs, feeling that looking into the bag would piss him off too much. Dean would have torched the bag, but the kid could have something important in there. The new father thought about calling his father, Bobby, or Pastor Jim, but for some reason he felt like he wanted to keep Harry to himself for a while. Dean called for pizza and the child seemed to be waking up just as the delivery boy arrived.

"Good morning sleepy head," Dean teased as his boy rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, "I hope you like pizza. I got cheese." He announced and then a horrible thought entered is head, "You can have milk products, right?"

The kid started sucking his thumb again, but nodded in reply. The duo settled back into silence, eating food. It looked to Dean as if the small child had never had pizza before, and he quickly hid his anger at the kid's aunt. Harry seemed to want to ask him something, but was too afraid to speak up.

"Don't be afraid to ask me anything, Harry. I promise you that I will do everything in my power to make sure you get an answer." Dean said, and his son ducked his head and blushed.

Dean looked at Harry patiently waiting for his question. Harry seemed to be debating whether or not to ask when he suddenly gained a determined look on his face.

"Are you really my daddy?" he whispered, meekly.

Dean beamed at the small child. He couldn't get over his cute accent. "Yeah, I really am."

"But Aunt 'Tunia said my mommy and daddy got killed in a car cwash," he said, as if fearing punishment.

Dean reached out to comfort the boy, but he only flinched making Dean silently curse Petunia. "Your mom is gone, yes, and so is your step-dad. I'm your biological dad."

"Biololicool?" he asked, cocking his head like a puppy.

"It means that I helped your mom make you." Dean finally said after careful thought.

"Oh!"

Dean chuckled at his cute expression, and asked Harry if he had anything important in his bag. Harry quietly nodded and pulled out an old ratty red blanket with the initials 'HJ' in the corner. He also pulled out a broken blue crayon and a broken, miniature, toy car, which Dean was surprised to note that it was similar to the Impala. Dean then dumped everything out of the lightly used bag, and asked Harry if he wanted to help him throw it out.

"But den I don't got nothing." Harry shyly protested.

Dean knelt down to Harry's level, and brushed his hand through the child's hair. This was the first act of loving contact that Harry ever remembered receiving, and he closed his eyes to savor it. Dean smiled sadly and impulsively pulled his son into a hug.

"You've got me now, Harry, and I will never let you be unhappy again." Dean whispered in his son's ear.

Harry looked at his dad and gave him a shy smile; one that looked very much like Dean's only less cocky. The two finished off the pizza before Dean announced that they were going shopping to buy Harry everything he needed. Harry put on his pants and shoes once more before taking his father's hand and following him out to the car. They both sat in their seats and Dean went to the nearest Walmart. They grabbed a cart, Dean put Harry into it, and he started shopping. Dean grabbed seven outfits for him as well as three pairs of shoes, a warm jacket, two sweatshirts, 2 pairs of PJs, and packages of underwear and socks. He then picked up a car seat, diapers, and a potty since Harry admitted that he didn't need diapers except for nighttime.

After paying for everything Dean helped Harry change into his new clothes. He was small, but at least he now looked better. Dean then put away everything, and took Harry to the toy store next door. Harry was overwhelmed by all the colors and noises and when Dean told him to choose some. Harry hesitantly picked out a few toy cars, and a big black stuffed dog. They went out for dinner at a local diner and when they got back to the motel, Harry went to sleep. Dean looked at his son and smiled at him. He wanted to give his son the best life possible, and he wasn't sure if having a hunter as a father would give him a good life. He finally decided that his son was the most important person in his life right now, and his dad and brother didn't need him as much as Harry did.

He decided to take Harry to Lawrence and buy a small house there. He would get a real job and sign Harry up for school. Dean decided that he could leave hunting behind until Harry was old enough to choose for himself. He would be unlike John and would accept any decision Harry made. Dean crawled into bed, next to his son, and fell asleep with the child in his arms.


	2. Chapter 2

Sam looked around the neighborhood with pride and couldn't help but admire his brother's set up. It took him a year to find the older hunter but Sam finally managed to track down Dean Winchester. He had to admit that Dean led him on a wild goose chase for a while. In fact, he only found his brother because he stumbled upon a clue in a newspaper local to Lawrence, Kansas. When he figured it out, he hit himself for his stupidity; their hometown should have been the first place he looked. Apparently there was a local hero firefighter who managed to save a pregnant woman from inside a burning building named Dean James. Sam was sure that his brother was hiding behind the name Dean James and Sam had to admit the alias was right up his brother's alley. James Dean was the famous actor who starred in "_Rebel without a Cause_" and that image fit in with Dean's. The fact that the man in the paper was a fireman only served to sweeten the deal. Dean's secret ambition was to become a firefighter, not to mention that after years of doing nothing but, it would be impossible to abandon helping people. Sam was the only person who knew that about Dean; even their father had no clue.

Checking the address on his phone, Sam navigated his way through the streets until he found a small blue cottage with a huge garage that screamed hunter with a car obsession. What baffled Sam was the swing set in the backyard and the basketball ball net hanging over the garage. He made his way up the driveway, absently noting the presence of a red pickup truck, and knocked on the door. He heard AC/DC blaring from upstairs and when no one came he knocked harder during a quieter part of a song. Finally someone heard him, and he could hear them coming to the door. He heard them pause by the door, and they didn't open it until a minute or two later. The person on the other side was not who Sam had been expecting…at all.

He was a kid, about seven or eight years old. He had longer black hair and luminescent emerald eyes. He was slim, but Sam could tell the child was athletic. He was a beautiful kid, but seemed familiar in a way. The kid looked at Sam with a gleam of knowing in his eyes. It was as if the kid recognized him even though Sam was one hundred percent sure he had never met him before.

"May I help you?" the child asked with a very light touch of British accent.

Sam suddenly didn't seem so sure about his hypothesis but persisted. "Is there an adult I can talk to?" he asked, after clearing his throat.

The kid rolled his eyes, looking much like a young Dean, not that Sam remembered what Dean looked like at age 8. He closed the door and Sam heard him calling for his dad. Only a few minutes later did the door open once more, this time revealing Dean, himself. Sam took a good look at his brother and couldn't help but be surprised. Dean had changed just enough not to be recognized from a distance. Much of him was the same but he grew out dark stubble on his face. In fact the most difference was in how he held himself. No longer did Dean look like he was holding the fate of the world on his shoulders. He seemed less cocky but still quite confident. His build grew more muscular in different areas, and Sam knew that he would not be able to hold his own in a spar between them. Dean radiated a new attitude which almost intimidated the younger Winchester brother, and he seemed wiser, worldlier. He had never resembled Jonathon Winchester, their father, more.

"Hey Sam," Dean said, a crooked grin on his face, "What took you so long?"

There was the Dean he knew. Sam just scowled at his brother, letting him know how much he disliked chasing false leads causing Dean to snicker. He invited Sam in, and led him to the living room where the young boy already brought out two bottles of water and a plate full of fruit. Sam was even more confused, especially when Dean started chomping down on an apple. What happened to his pie-loving, hamburger eating big brother? The youngest in the house sat next to his father, and it was only then when Sam drew the connections between their appearances and the fact that the boy called Dean his dad.

"He's your son!" Sam exclaimed, pointing awkwardly at said son.

Dean smiled proudly and ruffled Harry's already messy hair. The younger boy mock scowled and batted his dad's hand away muttering something about getting it half-way tamed. Sam couldn't help but stare at the child, making Harry very nervous.

"Yeah," Dean replied sardonically, "This is Harry, my baby boy."

Harry rolled his eyes at his father's teasing, and playfully elbowed him. He then leaned into his dad, settling into Dean's familiar embrace which soothed him like none other. Sam could help but feel awed at the display. John never acted like that with them, and it made him feel nostalgic.

"Why didn't you tell me about him? You must have been 19 or 20 when he was born." Sam asked, allowing the hurt he felt show in his voice.

Harry shifted, and looked down at the reminder that his dad had a different life before him. Dean looked at Sam with slight annoyance. Harry felt very guilty about his dad abandoning his old life and always tried to make up for it. He tried to tell the kid that he would do anything for him, but the fact that he felt himself to be a burden was ingrained in Harry's psyche. Dean didn't want his son to feel responsible for the choices he had to make for Harry's well-being. His son had become a very sensitive boy after 3 long years in an abusive environment. He couldn't stand bullies, or anyone sacrificing anything for him, and he never took what he had for granted. Dean knocked out most of his learned habits, but Harry's kindness, selflessness, and empathy was his nature. Dean assumed that his nature came from his mother, vaguely remembering her as a kind-hearted individual. He fled for his old life with Harry because truthfully he couldn't stand the tension and frustrations any more. Harry's arrival was a gift in more than one way.

"I was not about to raise him like dad did us." Dean simply said, not wanting to air his son's dirty laundry.

Sam nodded in agreement. That was one of the sore points between himself and his father. Sam knew Dean was all about family, and he could tell that the choice between his son and hunting was not a difficult one.

"Anyway, I haven't introduced you two officially yet." Dean said, smiling at his son, "Sam, this is my son Harry. Hare-bear this is my brother Sam."

Harry bit his lip before sticking his hand out, "Nice to meet you, Sam."

Sam chuckled, and shook the offered appendage, "Likewise, Harry." He replied, and then looked at him, "It's almost uncanny how much you resemble Dean once you get past the hair and eyes."

"I know!" Dean exclaimed, "He's like my little clone."

Sam and Harry looked at Dean and rolled their eyes. Dean couldn't help but smile at the fact that the two most important people in his life were finally together. He then shook his head away from the sappy thought and concentrated on manly thoughts like fixing up his 1970 Ford Mustang. He was about to go off on that tangent when his phone's alarm went off. He frowned and checked it. Apparently soccer practice was in half an hour.

"Well kid, you know the drill." Dean said, poking the bundle in his arms, "Soccer practice time."

It was comical to watch Harry's facial expressions change as he remembered. The boy leapt off the sofa and practically flew upstairs to change out of his jeans and t-shirt, and into his practice outfit. Dean invited Sam to wait in the living room as Dean quickly went upstairs to shower and change. Luckily the field was right down the road because it took them the full time to get ready. Sam decided to tag along, unexplainably anxious about losing his brother and new-found nephew once more. Dean was wearing wind-breaker pants and a long sleeved shirt and his son was dressed similarly only in sweat pants instead of wind breaker pants. The young father had a mesh bag of soccer balls in one hand and a clipboard in the other. Sam had a feeling he knew where this was going.

The trio was the first group to arrive. Dean immediately went to work into making the normal field into a practice field. He gave Harry the orange cones, and the kid ran out to place them while Dean was setting up the nets. He ordered Sam to put one ball at every cone down the line and Sam did as asked. He was growing more bewildered by the minute. It was almost as if Dean was a little league coach, but Dean never played sports. Although, it didn't surprise Sam that Dean was the type of father to insert himself in his son's life. When people started to arrive, he saw Harry talking with some other kids his age, and Dean flirting with a woman his age.

She had short blond hair reaching just above her chin and exotic electric blue eyes. She was short and lean. Sam could see that she was a fierce woman who smiled quite easily. She was dressed in a pair of purple leggings and a man's white dress shirt. She also had a thick belt around her stomach and wore nothing on her perfectly manicured feet. She had quite the style.

When Harry saw who Dean was talking to, he broke into a sprint and gave her a flying hug. She immediately grabbed the child and swung him around despite the fact that he looked almost as big as her. Sam slowly made his way towards them.

"…gave us a really big ice cream party! She said that she never had a class memorize their multiplication table as good as us." Harry was rambling, and Dean absentmindedly corrected him. "Miss. Lopez thinks that we can start doing mixed timed tests next week!"

"That's awesome, mini man!" she exclaimed, giving Harry a high five.

Dean looked at his son in exasperation, feeling that the kid had more of a chance at scoring a date than he was. He looked up at her, noticed her mischievous grin and groaned.

"Don't do it Millie," he pleaded, "I'm begging you."

Millie just grinned and whispered something in Harry's ear. The younger smiled as well and ran off to whisper something to his team. Dean looked amused, but Sam could see Dean's nervousness. She just kissed his cheek and walked away.

"I hate that she has to go but I love watching her leave." Dean said, openly staring at Millie, grinning when she started to sway.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Sam asked.

Harry snuck up behind them and replied, "He wishes! Millie is my nanny. She watches me when dad's working."

Sam was amused, "Crushing on the nanny?" he teased, "Can you get any more cliché?"

"In my defense she is a really hot nanny." Dean said, "Now, Hare-bear, don't you have practice?"

Harry rolled his eyes and quickly went to join his teammates. They all started to run around the field without prompting, and once they did 3 laps they spread out. Watching Dean interacting with kids was a novel experience. Sam was astounded by how much his brother changed since he last saw him, and part of him was jealous that the older Winchester got an 'Apple Pie' life. When practice was over the entire team helped clean up, and three of the team played a prank on Dean, spraying him with their water bottles. The team roared with laughter, and Sam couldn't help but do the same, Dean looked like an idiot. Before long the Winchester men were back at the house. Harry excused himself so that he could take a shower leaving Dean and Sam truly alone for the first time. Dean busied himself with putting away the equipment, he knew Sam had questions.


	3. Chapter 3

"Why?" Sam simply asked, unable to conceal the hurt in his eyes.

Not that his brother was looking at him. He was looking towards his son. Dean snorted, "Well isn't that a loaded question," he mumbled, "I honestly don't know the answer to that."

Sam rolled his eyes, "That's bullshit Dean! You know that you could have told me you were a dad!"

Dean finally realized that his brother was thinking of something completely different, and sat down thinking about what to say. He sighed, "I learned about Harry when he was almost four years old. Because of the fact we don't have a stable home and move around a lot, no one could locate me until then. Harry's mom and her husband died when he turned 15 months old, so while I was off gallivanting around America, playing hero, my son was placed with his abusive aunt and uncle." Dean said bitterly.

Sam couldn't help but gasp, "What?"

"Harry needed me and my complete undivided attention. After his time with the Dursleys, Harry barely trusted me and could not be around anyone else. The only reason he trusted me was because I took him away from there, I'm just happy he didn't remember that I was the reason he was put there in the first place."

"That's not true Dad!" Harry said from behind the brothers. He ran up to his dad and squeezed him tight. "It's not your fault I was put with _Them_! You didn't even know you were a dad."

Dean hugged his son just as tight, feeling rather guilty no matter what anyone said. "I got your mother pregnant," he said, "I should have taken responsibility for my actions."

Sam stepped in, "You didn't know any better," he said, "Yes you had the knowledge about how babies were made, but honestly the concept wasn't real to you."

Dean shrugged and was about to reply when the doorbell rang. Grateful for the interruption from the chick flick moment, he went to the door and opened it, revealing Millie. She gave him a bright smile that seemed to make him feel lighter, and kissed him on the cheek.

"Alright," she said, "Where's the cheeky monkey? He promised me ice cream and a movie."

Dean gave Millie his best smirk, "Sounds like you have a date with a Winchester, Mills."

Millie snorted, "If that's all you Winchester men have to offer, it's no wonder none of you are hitched. Harry's eight, and therefore it is to be expected that he plans a movie and ice cream. What's your excuse?"

Dean looked offended, "Hey! I did manage to become a dad, you know."

Millie snorted, "She was probably taking pity on you, and decided that Harry would be her reward." She teased.

Dean playfully scowled, and tickled his son who had run over from the living room, "He's a little monster. If Lily took him as a reward I'll have to question her sanity."

Millie smirked, pulling Harry away from his dad so he could calm down. "Oh, I already question it."

The small group went back into the living room, and Millie offered to make dinner. Harry immediately agreed since the closest Dean would come to cooking would be ordering from a takeout menu. Harry normally was the head chef in their house, with Dean supervising, and he welcomed the reprieve. When the homemade cheese and macaroni bake was done, they sat down to eat. For Sam this was the best meal he had in months. Eating while on the road didn't lead to much home-cooked food. Dean and Harry always savored their food. It came from either never having a home-cooked meal, or a meal in general. Millie watched all of them eat, wondering why all Winchester men ate as if they had never seen food before. When they finished, Millie and Harry head out to see a movie while Dean and Sam stayed behind.

"She's awesome, isn't she?" Dean asked as he watched Millie drive off with his son.

Sam smirked, "You really have the hots for the nanny." He repeated, "I don't think I've ever seen you so hung up over a girl."

Dean shrugged, "Mills is different. I can't help it." He explained, "Anyway, tell me what I've missed."

Sam rolled his eyes but allowed Dean to skirt his attraction the Millie. "Well dad is still after what killed mom. Bobby is still Bobby, as are Pastor Jim and Caleb."

"I figured that," Dean said, "Tell me about college, college boy."

Sam shrugged, "It was school. Sure the classes were more interesting and my schedule more flexible, but it wasn't hunting."

"Don't give me that crap Sammy," Dean said, "You never liked hunting. I doubt that you would have willingly left your chance for normal."

Sam gave up and agreed, "I left after Undergrad. Dad came to me and told me you were missing. It was only after I pulled out that he told me that it was your choice."

Dean growled, "I'm sorry, man. I can't believe dad would do that."

Sam looked at his brother with amusement, "Really?" he asked flippantly.

"Well I wouldn't have done that to Harry." Dean informed his brother, "If anything I'd keep it from him."

"And leave him in the dark?" Sam asked, knowing his brother was better than that.

Dean scowled, "Fine," he said, "But I'd tell him to stay in school and that I'd take care of it."

"I can see you doing that, but knowing you and assuming Harry has some of your traits, he wouldn't sit back and let you handle it."

Dean couldn't help but pout. "I still wouldn't have done what dad did." He assured himself more than Sam anyway.

Sam smiled, glad that his brother was still the same Dean in this regard. "Tell me about my nephew," Sam demanded, getting comfortable.

Dean smiled, Harry as his favorite topic, "Well he's 8 years old, born July 31st. His mom's name was Lily Evans, and I met her while she was on holiday in US with her friends after graduation."

"Holiday?" Sam asked, "Seriously?"

Dean scowled, "Harry's influence. He was born in England if you haven't already guessed."

Sam smiled, "Continue," he said as if doing his brother a favor for not teasing his speech.

"He's a really smart kid, probably takes after you and his mom. He skipped third grade because of how smart he is. Harry loves animals, rescuing anything that has so much as a stubbed toe. I had to put a shed out back to house them all. He's so compassionate, and loving. He hates being a burden on people and goes out of his way to help anyone. He's fiercely protective of his friends and family, loyal so long as you have his trust, forgiving like you wouldn't believe, and extremely mischievous. He reminds me of how you were as a kid with some of me too."

Sam couldn't help but want to get to know the child more, "Does he have friends?" he asked, friendship was important to him, especially since as a child… hell as an adult he had none.

Dean rolled his eyes, "He makes friends with everyone and they can't help but love him. His best friend is actually a girl. Her name's Zoe Taylor and she's a year older than him. I know they're going to get married someday."

"Whoa! Marriage, already?" Sam exclaimed, "He's eight."

Dean shrugged, "A parent knows these things. Besides, she's going to be a knockout when she's older."

"Dad!" Harry sang from the front hallway, "I'm home!"

"Yeah Dean! Cover up the goods. Impressionable minds are coming in!" Millie followed, making Dean growl.

"That was one time, Mills."

"One time too many! Poor boy was scarred for life."

Harry jumped up on the sofa with Sam, rolling his eyes at the flirting between his dad and Millie. "They're going to be married," Harry said, making Sam choke.

"What?"

Harry looked at his uncle as if he was stupid, "Millie and dad are going to get married. It's only a matter of time before dad gets the guts to ask her on a date. They have been dancing around each other for years now." He said and at his uncle's skeptical look he added, "A kid knows these things."

Sam chuckled at his nephew, amazed at how similar the father and son duo were.

"Would you like to see my room?" Harry asked, nervously. He really wanted to know his uncle, especially since his dad told him all about him. Even though he hadn't really met Sam until now, the hunter was one of his favorite people only after his dad and Millie.

"Sure," Sam agreed, both eager to be alone with Harry and get away from the flirting game between his brother and Millie.

The duo quietly exited the room, and bounded up the stairs. Sam looked around, rather impressed by his brother's home. The duo went to the end of the hall, and Harry opened the door on the left.

"That's dad's room," Harry said, gesturing to the room across from his, "And the guest room where you're gonna stay is across from Millie's which is next to mine. The bathroom is just passed the door in front of the stairs. Here is mine."

Harry's room was amazingly clean for a child's room. He could actually see the cream carpet which went well with the dark green walls. His bed was put right under the window, and his toys were neatly put away on the shelf in the far right corner. Next to the bookshelf was a desk with a green lamp, and a few textbooks on it. He actually had a child's drum set against the wall, and a CD player next to it. There were pictures of Dean and Harry on the walls as well as a few posters and pictures of animals. He had a rabbit cage next to his bed.

"This room is amazing," Sam said, making Harry beam, "Do you play the drums?

Harry nodded as he pulled his rabbit out of its cage and sat down on his bed, "I'm in a band," he informed his uncle.

"I've never been in a band. Do you like it?"

Harry shrugged but his smile gave away how much he liked it. "This is Zeppelin, or as I call him Zeppy."

Sam rolled his eyes, "Naming a rabbit after a Music artist…" he mumbled.

Harry giggled, "Dad said you'd react like that. He also told me that you would hate the fact that our dogs' names are AC and DC, our cat's named Beauty."

Sam couldn't believe that Dean named a cat after his favorite porn magazine. The dogs' names were also weird, but no more than naming a rabbit after Led Zeppelin. The two spoke for an hour, until Dean came.

"Harry, finish your homework, it's almost time for bed. You have school tomorrow."

Harry immediately got up and put Zeppy in his cage. He went over to his desk and started his math. Sam looked impressed.

"He's actually doing what you asked without further prompting?" Sam whispered.

Dean smiled but sadly, not bothering to reply, "Do you need any help, Hare?"

Harry frowned in concentration, "I think I need you to quiz me in Spelling but otherwise I'm okay." He said.

Sam jumped at the opportunity, "Would either of you mind if I helped with the spelling? I miss school."

Dean looked at his brother as if he grew three heads, "Who misses school?"

Harry bit his lip, seeing both points. He loved learning new things, but was with his dad in the fact that he didn't like the institution. He looked at his uncle and seeing how much he really wanted to, he nodded, "You can help dad,"

The next hour was devoted to the academics. It wasn't that Harry had a lot of homework; it was just that Dean and Sam were having a hard time agreeing to anything including the method of instructing the next generation of Winchester. Dean wanted to do everything verbally while Sam wanted to read the world aloud and have Harry write down the answer. In the end Harry just read over the worlds and went to get ready for bed. One bad spelling test grade (if that happened) wouldn't kill him.


	4. Chapter 4

The next week was spent with the youngest Winchesters getting to know each other. Dean and Sam may have had a childhood together, but their time apart changed them. Harry was a source of great curiosity from the younger brother, and the duo could spend hours discussing anything. Dean and Millie on the other hand used the opportunity to grow even closer. By Saturday, Millie had agreed to go on a date with Harry's dad.

The duo decided to go out to their favorite restaurant and afterwards see a movie. Millie admitted that she didn't mind the 'Winchester Style of Dating' as she called it. While they were out, Sam volunteered his services in keeping Harry company. The younger boy refused to be babysat. The two Winchesters were playing Boggle when Sam's phone rang. He answered it without a glance to the caller ID.

"Hello?" Sam asked, writing down a word he spotted.

"Sam?" said a gruff voice, making Sam drop his pencil.

"Dad!"

"Where are you? I need your help on this case right away."

Sam looked annoyed, "I can't just drop everything right now, dad. I have a prior engagement."

John swore, "Damn it Sam! I don't have time for your arguments. People are dying and I can't do this on my own!"

Sam decided that Dean wouldn't want his son exposed to his conversation with the youngest boy's temperamental grandfather. He went into the kitchen and closed the door firmly. He pulled out a pot and set about making some macaroni and cheese for dinner. It was about that time anyway.

"Can't you get Caleb, or Bobby to help?" he asked.

"They're busy," John answered quickly.

"In other words, they're pissed off at you again," Sam said with a sigh, "What about someone else?"

"I don't trust them,"

"Of course you don't," Sam mumbled under his breath, "What's the situation?"

"It's growing more and more out of control. People are getting killed faster than I can keep up," John reluctantly admitted, "This coven of witches won't stop until they either kill off the entire town, or are forced to stop. I need help,"

"How many witches are in the coven?"

"Seven of them, if I did my research right, but one's probably a kid."

Sam swore, and then looked at the door nervously, hoping Harry didn't hear. He paced up and down the kitchen, "Dad, even if I helped, we'd be outnumbered."

John most likely scowled, "You're my only option,"

Sam couldn't help but feel angry at his father, "I'll call you back," he said, hanging up. When the phone rang once more, he ignored it until it finally grew silent. Sam knew what he had to do, but he didn't like it at all. He would have to ask Dean to help. Dean had tons of experience, and John trusted his son without doubt. He finally decided on asking Dean once he returned from his date when Harry spoke.

"That was my grandfather, wasn't it?" he asked, from behind. He somehow made it to the kitchen without Sam noticing. "He's hunting something and needs help. You're going to ask dad, aren't you?"

Sam felt guilty, "I have to," he said, "Dad won't call anyone else."

"What about Uncle Bobby?" Harry asked, hero-worship eminent.

"Wait, you know Bobby?" Sam asked.

Harry realized that he said something he shouldn't have, but the damage was done, and he reluctantly nodded. "We visit him sometimes. Dad says it's a good opportunity for him to keep up with everything. I help dad and Uncle Bobby with research when they let me."

"You go hunting?" Sam asked, narrowing his eyes.

Harry quickly shook his head, "No! Dad would rather sell the Impala for spare parts." He exclaimed, "I usually stay with Bobby and do research. I have been learning a lot about hunting, but only because Dad wants me to learn how to protect myself. He told me that if I still want to hunt, it will happen no sooner than my seventeenth birthday."

Sam looked relieved. He knew Dean would be reasonable. "Wait, why seventeen?"

Harry looked nervous, "It's an important age in my mom's culture," he said evasively.

When Dean returned from his date, he was floating on cloud nine, but once he spotted their faces, his stomach plummeted. He sighed, took off his jacket and shoes, put them away and drank a shot of whiskey. He had a feeling that he wouldn't like whatever they had to say.

"So," Dean said, sitting down, "Why do I have a bad feeling?" He gave his son a significant look.

Harry smiled sheepishly but shook his head much to Dean's relief. He knew how touchy hunters were and even though Sam was his brother, he was still a hunter. Dean was Harry's dad first and a hunter second so what he learned about Lily wasn't didn't change anything.

"Dad called," Sam said, not noticing the byplay between father and son.

"That sounds ominous." Dean muttered.

"He needs help getting rid of some witches," Sam said.

Harry's eyes widened in shock and Dean quickly asked, "What kind of witches?"

Sam looked at his brother strangely, "The magic kind," he said, as if it should have been obvious, "You know the people who make demon deals for magic."

Dean deflated in relief and Harry looked curious. He didn't know that there was more than one type of witch. Dean sent Harry to the living room to watch TV. This was not a discussion for young ears. Harry looked as if he wanted to protest, but didn't. This was the one time Dean was thankful for his son's obedience.

"Why can't he ask Bobby or Caleb for help?" Dean asked.

Sam rolled his eyes, "You know dad," he said, "He can never stay on a person's good side."

Dean sighed, "Well lucky for him, he has kids who were brainwashed into loving him unconditionally."

Sam rolled his eyes, "More like brainwashed to help him hunt," he corrected, "So, are you coming?"

Dean looked over at Harry, "I don't know, Sam. I have my son to consider and do you honestly think dad will let me go once I go to him? My kid will not grow up like we did."

Sam understood, "What if I promise to help you get out again? I really could use the help with dad Dean."

Dean scowled, "Fine," he agreed, "But if someone pulls me back into that life, I will shoot them."

It took the younger Winchesters the rest of the week to prepare for their impending hunt. Dean and Harry brushed up on some of their fighting skills while Sam stocked up on supplies including salt and food. Harry had a week long break coming up and the group was taking full advantage of it. It was Friday when they were ready to leave. Millie agreed to take care of their pets for the week and they arranged for her to pick up their mail as well. They were already on the road by dinner time.

Sam looked between the road and Harry nervously, feeling rather guilty all of a sudden, "Maybe Harry should stay with Millie," he suggested.

Harry wanted to protest, but his dad cut him off with a look. Dean then winked at his son turning the boy's frown into a slight smile. "Don't worry about Harry, Sammy. I may not want this life for him, but he knows enough to protect himself. Between our Daddy-son martial arts classes and our numerous paintball gun outings, he should be covered enough to get to safety. Besides, he'll be staying with Bobby in the most supernatural-proof house in America." He said.

Sam bit his lip, something he only did when he felt insecure or scared, not that anyone but Dean knew that. "This is a bad idea." He whispered.

Dean sighed, "As much as I wish that I could keep my son out of this life, I know I can't. Hunting will always be a part of our lives."

"But I pulled you back…"

"Not true!" Harry interrupted, "Dad still goes hunting."

Dean scowled playfully at Harry, "Thanks for blurting out my secret, midget."

"You still hunt?" Sam asked with surprise evident in his expression.

Dean shrugged, "Only close to home," he explained, "To keep other hunters from coming in too close."

"But you still hunt?" Sam clarified.

Dean rolled his eyes, "Yes Sam, I still hunt. I'm a hunter, remember? We have a tendency to do that."

Harry laughed, making his dad smirk. Sam was still struggling over the fact that his brother never really stopped hunting, although Dean didn't know why. The rest of the ride was spent singing along with Metallica and the other bands in Dean's tape collection. Sam couldn't believe that Dean had Harry converted so young, and was relieved to find out that the kid liked other music too.

"But these are my favorites," Harry explained.

Sam sent a slight glare in his brother's direction, "Did you really have to brainwash my nephew into liking the music you like?" he asked.

Dean unashamedly nodded, "I couldn't risk losing him to the Light Side."

"The Light side, really?"

When they arrived at Singer's Auto Salvage, Harry was fast asleep. Sam offered to take the bags while Dean hoisted his son into his arms. It wasn't as easy as it once was, but Harry was still small for his age. They were walking up to the front door when Dean noticed their dad's truck standing next to the house. He sighed and tightened his grip on his son, waking Harry. They made it to the porch and Sam knocked. It took a moment for Harry to reorient himself from the land of Nod, but when Bobby opened the door Harry immediately knew. He wriggled out of Dean's arms and made a flying leap at the old hunter.

"Uncle Bobby!" he cried.

"Hello Runt," Bobby greeted, "I take it Sam found you." He said more to Dean.

Dean nodded as Harry gave Bobby the full run down, "He just showed up after school on Wednesday. At first I thought he was one of those annoying salesmen, but when Dad said, 'Hey Sam!' I finally recognized him from the pictures," he said, and looked like he wanted to carry on, but Dean cut him off knowing how long his little spiels were.

"Harry, why don't you get your bag from Sam and put it in your room? You can tell Uncle Bobby all about it later." Dean suggested, but Harry knew it was more of a command.

Sighing, he took his bag from his uncle and ran upstairs to unpack. Dean took advantage of Harry's absence to get to the heart of the matter.

"Bobby, why is dad's truck here?" he asked, "I thought you weren't speaking to him again."

Bobby rolled his eyes, "That father of yours is impossible. He just showed up out of the blue last night, bleedin' all over the place. I shoulda let him deal with it himself, but Harry…" he trailed off and Dean understood.

Sam didn't, "Harry, what?"

Dean chuckled and was glad to see that his brother was as clueless as ever. He said, "Dad is Harry's grandfather. Bobby didn't want to risk them not meeting."

"Oh,"

"Risk who not meeting?"

The group spun around to see John Winchester limping out of the living room, bandages practically covering every inch of him. Dean could see why his dad asked for help. It seemed these demon-deal witches were kicking his ass and taking his number.

"Hey dad," Dean said when John spotted him, "It's been a while."


	5. Chapter 5

John stared at his eldest son for a moment before crossing the room and embracing him. Dean allowed it, having some idea as to what his father had been feeling when his son disappeared. When the older Winchester finally let go, he hit his son upside the head.

"Where the hell did you disappear off to Dean? I expected it of Sam, but I never saw you doing the same." He growled, "You always put the family first."

Dean saw his son peaking into the room, probably frightened of the walking mummy yelling at his dad. He squatted down and opened his arms, allowing Harry to run into his embrace. He lifted Harry into his arms and hugged him tight. He then looked at his father and said, "And I always will."

John was taken back, staring at the little boy in his son's arms. The little boy looked so much like Dean did when he was young only this time with black hair. He couldn't believe it. Dean was the last person he expected even with his womanizing ways. He sat down and stared at Harry in awe.

"He's beautiful," John whispered.

Dean couldn't help his grin, "Dad, I'd like to introduce you to the next generation of Winchester. This is my son Harry. Hare, this scary old man is your granddad, John."

Not so scared anymore, now that he knew that the mummy was really his dad's father, he wriggled out of his dad's arms once more, but he still held his dad's hand. He looked at the older man in wonder before looking to his dad for reassurance. He took a deep breath and without warning, tackled his grandfather in a hug. John was taken back for a minute before reciprocating with equal fervor.

"How old are you Harry?" John asked.

Harry beamed, "I'm 8," he replied with a thicker accent.

John looked at his son in confusion. Harry looked 6 or 7, not 8. Dean sighed, "I'll tell you later," he said, knowing what his dad wanted to know.

"So he's why you left without a word." John half asked, half said.

Dean nodded, "As soon as I learned about him, I knew he would become the center of my universe. I didn't want him raised like Sam and I were. I love this life, but I didn't want this life for Harry. I wanted him to have a normal life."

John winced at the reminder that he didn't exactly think about his sons in his crusade against what killed Mary. He looked at his new grandson and knew that if he could do it all over again, he wouldn't have done what he did. He understood Dean better at this moment than ever before. Sam was like a younger version of himself, so whenever the younger brother tried to rebel or did something John didn't like, at least he understood why. Dean on the other hand was an anomaly. John just couldn't understand how the boy could be so selfless. He didn't understand how Dean could just trust his every word as if was gospel. But he could understand how Dean sacrificed everything for the little boy in his arms, he got why Dean didn't tell him about Harry, and he was so proud of his son for giving Harry a chance that John should have given his sons.

"You're a good father, Dean." John said.

Harry beamed when he looked at his dad, "The best daddy in the whole world."

Dean laughed and grabbed his little bugger, tickling him into submission. When Harry finally called uncle, Dean ushered the kid off to get his coat and sent him and Sam out to buy dinner for the group. Bobby decided to join them..

"Why didn't you tell me about Harry, Dean?" John asked, masking his hurt.

Dean sighed, "At first it was because I thought you would have stopped me. I had every intention of bringing him back to the motel but once I saw him I couldn't. What you have to understand is that Harry's mom and step-dad were murdered when Harry was just 15 months old. Lily, his mom, wrote in her will that I was to get custody of him if both she and her husband died but no one could find me. Harry was sent off to live with his closest relatives and the woman only agreed to house him until he turned five years old. She probably wouldn't have agreed at all and left Harry to an orphanage if they didn't offer her money.

"They were so cruel to my baby dad. I have no idea what kind of person would abuse a baby and honestly if I ever meet them, I'd probably kill them. He slept in a cupboard, barely was fed, and was expected to do chores. If the lawyer didn't find me when he did, Harry would have been abandoned on the doorstep of the seediest orphanage they could find.

"Harry was so little when I saw him the first time. I honestly would have thought he was half his age if the lawyer didn't tell me otherwise. He was so scared and surprised by any kindness. When I finally had him in my arms, I knew that I wouldn't let anyone hurt him again. I had to make things right for him."

John's hands were clenched in fists and he looked ready to kill. How dare anyone hurt his grandson? Dean looked close to tears just remembering what his baby boy went through before he finally got him. He was probably blaming himself for not being there sooner for the boy.

"Dean," John said, "It's not your fault." He may not have understood his son, but he knew him and knew that he'd feel guilty.

Dean snorted, wiping away his traitorous tear, "He's my son, dad. I failed to protect him. Of course it's my fault."

John shook his head, "Don't you dare blame yourself for something you had no control in Dean Jonathan Winchester. Those damned people who abused Harry are to blame, not you!"

Dean snorted, "Then why do I feel so guilty?" he asked quietly.

John looked at his son, "Because any decent human would," he said.

Harry and Sam came back to the house an hour later, arms full of groceries instead of take out. John was confused, wondering where dinner was, but Bobby and Dean knew that Harry would rather eat liver than takeout if there was a kitchen he could use. Dean grinned at his son and relieved his brother of his bags. He then followed Harry to the kitchen and helped the young boy put everything away. Bobby had already cleaned when Sam and Harry went out so all that was left was the cooking. John watched in awe as his young grandson made a meal fit for a king with his dad's help. Dean did not once protest as Harry bossed him around the kitchen, but that was probably best since Harry was the only Winchester who knew his way around the kitchen. When dinner was cooked, and served, the group sat down around the kitchen table.

"Dig in," Harry said, taking a bit of his stir fry.

John moaned as soon as the food hit his tongue, "This is better than Mary's," he admitted, "How the hell do you know how to cook so well when the best your dad can do it boil water, especially at your age?"

Harry giggled at his grandfather's reaction before shrugging, "If I didn't learn how to cook, we'd starve!"

Dean scowled at his son, waving his fork around, "Not true!" he exclaimed, "But we would be well acquainted with the local restaurants."

Harry pretend gagged making his dad mock glare at him. When they finished eating, Dean shooed his son outside to play so that they could talk about the Hunt without little ears around. Harry didn't like that one bit; after all he knew that hunting was out of the question, but why wouldn't he be able to consult on a magic hunt? He was a wizard after all. He sighed and was about to practice some soccer when a brilliant idea hit him. Grinning mischievously, looking much like his dad, he crawled up onto the porch and under the living room window. Bobby had opened it earlier to freshen the place up a bit. He sat down and listened carefully.

"…hex bags under the sofa and in the walls. They're serious," his grandfather said, "And extremely powerful. They've already killed at least 5 people."

Harry couldn't help but gasp making everyone in the room go quiet. Knowing he was found out he tried to scoot out of there but his dad grabbed him by the shirt just as he started to run. Dean pulled Harry through the window and plopped the boy down on his lap. The others left the room, knowing that it was Dean's place and not there's to deal with his eavesdropping.

"How much did you hear?" Dean asked, his voice slightly resigned and disappointed.

Harry looked down at his hands in his lap, "Only a little. I just got there." He said, pouting whether at the fact that he only heard a little or had got caught Dean wasn't sure.

He sighed, "Harry," he began, "What did I tell you about situations like this?"

Harry frowned, "That you'd tell me what I need to know and nothing more." He said sulking, and then tried to explain, "But dad, you were talking about magic. You know…"

"Harry," Dean snapped, cutting the young boy off, "You're a kid and while I appreciate your help on some cases, this is not one of them. Maybe I should rethink letting you have any part in hunting."

"No!" Harry exclaimed panicked, he loved helping. "Please dad! I promise I won't spy on you anymore, I promise. Please don't make me stop helping."

Dean sighed, running his hand through his hair and trying to avoid his son's puppy dog eyes not that it did any good. He set Harry down in front of him and knelt down, "Harry," he began, "I'm not trying to punish you, only to keep you safe. If you can't handle listening to a minor instruction like go play then how can I trust you will obey me when it really counts?" he asked.

Harry bit his lip, looking down at his feet. Dean sighed and raised his head up so they were looking at each other in the eyes.

"Can I trust you, Harry? Will you try and obey me, especially if what I tell you is to keep you safe even if you don't understand?" Dean asked.

Harry thought for a moment, knowing that it was a very serious question. Dean was not the kind of parent to bundle his child in cotton and lock him in a tower. He did not believe in lying to Harry nor did he believe in keeping the darker parts of the world from him. Harry had already been exposed to it. Sure Dean would do his best to shield Harry from the other bad parts of life, but he knew that one day Harry wouldn't have him around to fight his battles. He hoped that by keeping Harry informed, the kid would be safer.

Harry finally nodded, "You can trust me dad." He finally said, "I promise."

Dean gave Harry a long look before nodding and drawing his son into a tight hug. Harry hugged his dad back tightly, relishing in the love and trust his dad showed him. He promised himself that he'd be good for his dad, and would try to be less impulsive and irresponsible. Dean was all he had just like Harry was all Dean had. Sure there was Sam, John and Bobby, but Dean would be devastated if something happened to his son. Harry did not want to put his dad through anything even remotely uncomfortable. The two sat in silence until John, Bobby and Sam reentered the room. Dean did not send his son away.


	6. Chapter 6

It was an awkward silence, tense even. John refused to talk while Harry was in the room and Dean refused to make Harry leave. Dean rarely clashed with his father, at least not in his youth, but living on his own and raising a child made Dean a lot less likely to mindlessly obey his father's every order. In fact when John demanded that Harry go play outside while the grownups discussed the hunt, Dean became furious.

"How dare you even think that you have a say in whether or not Harry stays or goes. He is my son, and I say that he can listen to the debriefing." Dean exclaimed.

"He's a child Dean!" John pointed out.

Dean snorted, "Like you care," he said, "I was younger than Harry when you started teaching me how to hunt. Hell, I ganked a ghost at his age."

Sam frowned, "I thought you did not want Harry to hunt until he turned seventeen," Sam said cautiously.

Dean scowled at his little brother, "Listening in on a debriefing is not hunting, Sam. I want my son to learn as much as he can before going out and doing the real thing. If listening to our brainstorming session helps him learn, then I'm all for it."

Bobby sighed but nodded, agreeing with the young father. "The kid is smart. The more he learns about what we do, the better informed he will be. Even if he decides not to hunt in the future, he will know enough to be safe." He said, looking at Harry.

John did not like being undermined at all. He was used to his eldest son following his every order. He couldn't help but frown; having a child changed Dean a lot, and he wasn't sure he liked it. John thought his grandson was a good kid, but at the moment he couldn't help but dislike him, even a little.

Harry looked between his dad and grandfather with wide eyes. He leaned into his dad's chest, feeling overwhelmed. He had a sixth sense about people and right now it was telling him to get away from grandpa. It took a long time for Harry to show even the slightest bit of trust to anyone, and with the way John was acting, he was about to lose his grandson's.

Gathering his courage Harry spoke up, "Daddy," he said quietly as if not to draw attention to himself, "I'll go. I don't want to cause trouble."

Dean's attention immediately shifted to Harry. He saw that his boy was uncomfortable and even a little scared. Harry hadn't acted so timid for years and it bugged Dean that it was his dad who brought it out once more. He looked into his son's emerald eyes and rubbed his cheek.

"Are you sure?" he asked, "You aren't causing any trouble. Your grandfather's just being stubborn."

Harry bit his lip and nodded, "Please," he couldn't help but beg quietly.

Dean exhaled and nodded. He couldn't help but glare at his father once Harry wasn't looking. The young boy cautiously made his way outside, careful to avoid being too close to the Winchester Patriarch. John didn't seem to think anything of it but Dean and Sam to a certain extent saw that it would take a long time for Harry to even begin to like their father let alone trust him. Sam was glad that at least he didn't lose his nephew'

As soon as the door closed, Dean turned towards his father and scowled at him, "I hope you're happy," he said, and then sarcastically added, "It's not like you lost Harry's trust."

John frowned, "What are you talking about Dean?" he asked, "I'm just making sure the kid doesn't end up like you did."

Dean scoffed, "And whose fault is that?"

"I know I made a mistake with you boys, teaching you how to hunt at such a young age. I am not going to allow you to do the same with your kid."

Dean sighed, knowing his dad's heart was in the right place, even if he was stepping on his toes. The man loved Dean and despite not really knowing his grandson yet, was starting to love him too. Dean gave his dad one long look before sighing.

"Dad," he said, "While I appreciate the fact that you want to help me do right by my son, I will not stand for your undermining my position as Harry's dad. If I say something to him, you cannot be telling him something else. It's my job to keep Harry safe, not yours. Your job is to give us advice and to…love us." He couldn't help but wince when he said love.

John looked upset for a moment before he sighed and nodded. Dean was right. He would have hated it if his father of Mary's father undermined his position as the boys' father. It was not there place just like it wasn't his now.

Dean smiled at his dad slightly before settling down in his chair, "So, about that hunt…"

Once he was outside, Harry could hear his dad shouting at his grandfather making him wince. He hated it when his dad shouted, even when it wasn't directed at him, it was a side-effect from living with his aunt and uncle when he was younger. He ran out into the junk yard and hid inside one of the cars. It was his secret play house, one which his dad made sure was safe for him to use.

When his dad picked him up from the airport, he took Harry to Bobby's. Since they were technically homeless and since Bobby loved Dean as if he was his own, he allowed them to stay with him until they got settled. Harry was a very timid and scared child. He spooked at the slightest sounds, hated being touched unless he saw it coming, and most of all believed that he was worth less than dirt. The only person he even remotely trusted was his dad, and that fact made it very difficult for the man to go and find them a home. The few times Dean had to leave Harry alone with Bobby were a nightmare since the older man reminded Harry of his Uncle Vernon. The young child would either curl up in his room making no noise or he would hide in the cars around Bobby's house. The first time Harry hid, the adults were frantic with worry. They searched high and low for the small boy. It soon grew dark.

_Flashback_

_Harry looked around himself, jumping at the slightest shadow. He burrowed himself against the door of an old rusted pickup truck and whimpered. The dark was even scarier than being alone with the man that wasn't his daddy. He had just made the decision to run back to the house when he heard a rustling coming towards him. He froze, barely breathing. The animal coming towards him growled once it caught his scent, and terrified the small boy. It was a wild coyote and he had just spotted dinner. _

_They stared at each other for what seemed like a million years until they heard someone calling his name. Harry gasped and as if that was the beacon the wild animal was waiting for, it leapt for the small boy. Harry screamed in fear, awaiting the sharp teeth but nothing happened. He opened his eyes and saw the coyote trying to get at him from behind an invisible shield. The coyote was desperate and starving. He had not eaten for days. On his final leap he disturbed the pile of cars making them crash down. The coyote barely escape unscathed but little Harry was trapped._

"_Daddy!" he screamed before his yell was drowned out by the enormous crashes of the cars around him._

_Dean ran towards the disturbance, Bobby barely able to keep up. He began to pray, hoping to God that his son was alright. Once he reached the fallen pile, he spotted Harry's toy bear and immediately assumed the worst. He dug through the heap of metal, desperately. His son couldn't be dead, he had to be alright. Dean wanted the chance to watch his baby grow up. He needed to show Harry that not all people were as bad as his relatives. When he finally ripped off the door of a beat up sedan he couldn't help but gasp._

_There he was, unconscious but unhurt, laying inside of a bubble which seemed to be keeping the pile from falling on him. Dean, not caring for anything but his son's safety reached inside the bubble and pulled his son out. It was lucky he did because not long after Harry was safely in his dad's arms did the bubble pop and the pile land where the child once was. _

_Dean didn't care about knowing what the bubble was. He didn't care that he was kneeling in the mud, hugging his unconscious son. All he cared about was the fact that Harry was safe in his arms once more._

_Flashback end_

"Harry," called Dean from the house snapping Harry out his daze, "Harry, we're done. You can come back to the house now."

Harry sighed and looked around at his club house. His dad built it as a safe haven for when Harry needed some privacy. He grabbed his soccer ball and ran back to the house where he noticed his dad, grandfather, and uncle were packing up his dad's Impala. Harry frowned.

"Dad?" he asked, "Where are you going?"

Dean sighed and knelt down in front of his son, "I have to go help your grandpa and uncle with the hunt. People are dying and need our help." He explained.

"But…"

"It'll be alright Hare-bear," Dean said, "Bobby will take good care of you."

Harry bit his lip and nodded, feeling very insecure. His dad had left him with Bobby to go on hunts before, but he never got over the anxiety of being separated from his dad. He leapt towards Dean and grabbed him in a bear hug.

"Please come home," Harry whispered making Dean hold him even tighter.

"I'll fight with everything in me to come back to you little man," Dean said honestly, he refused to make a promise he might not be able to keep. "But if something goes wrong, you know Bobby will take care of you."

Harry couldn't hold his tears back, but tried to blink them away. Sam noticed and frowned. "I'll make sure he stays safe, Harry." He promised making Dean scowl slightly. Hope was one thing but making a promise like that would break Harry more than anything else if it turned out to be untrue. Harry nodded and let his dad go. The older Winchesters all piled into the car with Dean in the driver's seat. John gave his grandson a tight nod and they were off. Harry stared after them as the old Black sedan made its way out into the world. Bobby put his hand on Harry's shoulder and gave the boy a half hug.

"What do you say I tell you all about the hunt your daddy's goin on?" Bobby said, making Harry nod.

The duo reentered the house and went to Bobby's living room slash study. Harry looked around in awe, seeing all the chaos in the room never got old. It looked like a giant mess, one he was itching to clean up but Bobby swore up and down that he had a system going there. Bobby went over to the sofa, dropped the books covering it onto the floor and gestured for Harry to sit.

"Now," Bobby started, "As always, what I'm about to tell you is purely for knowledge and if you even attempt a hunt your dad will kill you.

"Uncle Bobby," Harry whined slightly, "You're acting as if this is my first hunt."

Bobby just grunted. He pulled out a book and searched through it until he got the right page. Harry leaned down and looked at what it was about. Once he sounded it out, he couldn't help but bite his lip. His dad was going to help hunt witches.


	7. Chapter 7

Bobby looked at Harry with concern. He was usually very excited to learn about what his daddy was hunting, but this time the boy was as silent as a grave. He opened his mouth as if to ask him about it, but noticing how pale Harry was he changed his mind. Maybe he realized that witches, other than the fact that they did magic, were humans.

"Are you alright?" he asked, frowning.

Startled by Bobby's question, Harry couldn't help but look up at the older man and nod. "I'm fine," he said, quietly not convincing Bobby at all.

"Harry," Bobby said, "If you don't want to help me research this one, I won't think any less of you."

Harry looked down, wondering if he could really help Bobby with this hunt. In the end he decided to go for it, but not before he asked a question.

"Are all of these witches bad?" he asked, tracing the picture with his finger.

Bobby sighed, "They might start out with good intentions, but the ones your dad hunts have killed. The power corrupts them."

Harry looked at Bobby, "Do you think that there are some good ones out there?" he asked.

"Not every witch is a bad witch Harry," he said, "The ones your dad is hunting get their power from demons and demons are rarely good."

"What if a witch didn't get their magic from demons? Would you still hunt them?" he asked.

Bobby couldn't help but wonder why this line of questioning came up. Harry was a good kid with a good heart, but he understood that when his dad went on a hunt it was usually to kill monsters.

Finally Bobby replied, "If there is a witch," he said, "I would first make sure that they were good and if they are, I would let them be."

Bobby was one of the rare hunters who didn't believe in hunting everything and anything that was supernatural. He only hunted the things that hurt or even killed others. Some creatures weren't bad like some shape-shifters.

Harry couldn't help but smile when he heard Bobby say that. He was glad that at least one person other than his dad wouldn't shun him when he shared the truth. Harry couldn't help but think back to when he first found out he was a witch or more correctly, a wizard.

_Flashback_

_It had been about a month after Dean and Harry moved into their new home in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dean had found a nice small apartment in the French Quarter above a small Voodoo shop. Dean had second thoughts about renting the small place but once he witnessed a ghost being warded away from the shop, he couldn't help but want to move in. _

_Harry had been sitting on the doorstep, watching the strange customers go in and out of the shop downstairs when a strange looking man started walking towards him. He was the first person all day to even glance at the little boy, and to be honest it frightened Harry quite a bit. He shot up, ran inside, and hid behind his dad. Dean asked his son several times what was wrong when the door bell rang. _

_Not expecting any visitors, Dean pulled his favorite hand gun out of its place in the waistband of his jeans, and approached the door. He asked Harry to hide in the bathroom, the only room in the house which had a very small window in it. If Harry needed to run, only he would be able to fit through it. Dean opened the door and looked at the strange man. He was wearing a jacket made out of some kind of reptile skin, as well as black dress pants and a dress shirt. What really caught Dean's eye was the mirror the man held in his hand. There was a face in it, but definitely not the man's reflection._

"…_home for dinner," he said before noticing Dean's presence, "I have to go. The kid's father is looking at me strangely."_

_All of a sudden the mirror began reflecting the man's image once more. At first Dean was wondering if he imagined it all before telling himself that he saw what he saw. The strange man noticed Dean's dilemma and smiled when Dean didn't succumb to whatever was making him disregard the mirror. _

"_Ahhh," the man said, "It looks to me that your son is not the first person in his family to have magic on your side, at least."_

_Dean wanted to ask what the man meant but decided against it, instead he said, "Who are you? Why are you here?"_

_The man smirked, "My name is Hadi Anas," he said, "And I am here to introduce you and your son to the United Magical States of America; UMSA for short."_

_Dean stared at Hadi for a long time before laughing. "Is this a joke? Did Sammy put you up to this?" he asked, not at all ready to take Hadi seriously._

_Dean's laughter didn't faze Hadi. Instead the man just moved his hand and suddenly the door disappeared. Taking advantage of Dean's disorientation, he entered the apartment. It was only after Hadi sat down and pulled a bottle of what seemed to be bourbon out of his non-bulging pocket. Dean entered the room and took the offered alcohol drink, needing a drink after that experience. His gut told him to trust the man, but he was not about to bring his son out until he knew for sure Harry would be safe._

"_Magic," Dean finally said._

_Hadi grinned and nodded, "Magic," he agreed, "Your son is a magic user, Mr. Winchester and I believe you could be descended from magic as well."_

_Dean closed his eyes and counted to ten. He peaked out of one eye and saw that Hadi was still there. He frowned before sighing and calling Harry over. The kid had a right to know that he was magical. Harry walked over slowly, still nervous around anyone not his dad. Once he was close enough to the older Winchester, he bolted over and dived into his dad' lap. _

_Dean grunted, but adjusted Harry on his lap all the same, "Now, if you could repeat what you said to Harry,"_

_Hadi nodded and smiled at the small trembling boy. He mentally frowned, wondering why the boy was so scared of him but let it go. He seemed happy enough with his dad._

"_Hello Harry," he said warmly, "My name is Hadi."_

_Harry buried himself into his dad's shoulder but nodded slightly to show that he heard._

"_I've come to tell you something wonderful. Have you ever done anything strange and or inexplicable?" he asked._

_Harry froze, remembering how his uncle reacted to those strange and unexplainable things. He looked at his daddy, wondering if this question would turn the man away from him, but realized that Dean was smiling slightly and encouragingly so Harry nodded once, very acutely._

_Hadi nodded as if that was what he expected, "Would you believe me if I said that you used magic?"_

_Harry gasped and couldn't help but parrot what his aunt and uncle told him millions of times, "There's no such thing as magic!"Hadi looked taken back at the vehemence of his statement._

_Dean frowned. That was completely unlike what Harry would normally say; for one it was too bold. "Harry," he said, making the child look at him, "Did your aunt tell you that?" he asked._

_Harry nodded shyly._

_Dean sighed and gave the other man a small smile in apology. "Harry," he said soothing, "Your aunt was wrong. According to Mr. Anas, magic is very real. Not to mention it explains quite a bit."_

"_Magic is bad," Harry whispered._

_Dean shook his head once more, "Not all magic kiddo," he said, "Don't you remember the bubble that protected you at Bobby's? If you didn't have magic, I wouldn't have you right now. And let me tell you that would be the most horrible thing in the world."_

_Harry looked at his dad curiously, "Why?" he asked, "Aunt 'Tunia says I'm a burden and that I should have died with my mum."_

_Hadi couldn't help but gasp at the horrible things Harry's aunt told him but otherwise he remained quiet._

_Dean tightened his grip on him, "She had no right telling you anything of the sort. You're not a burden at all, and if you went to heaven with your mommy I would have been very sad and alone."_

"_You didn't know me," Harry pointed out._

_Dean shook his head, "I've always loved you Harry, even when I didn't know about you, hell even before you existed. You're my son, and if you didn't become a part of my life I would have subconsciously known and I would have been very sad."_

"_Sub…sub…sub-cons-is-lee," Harry tried to ask._

_Dean couldn't help his slight smile, "Let's just say that I would have known even if I didn't know."_

"_Huh?" _

_Hadi and Dean chuckled at his adorable expression and Dean even tickled the small child some making him screech in laughter._

"_I love you very much, Harry." Dean finally said, "I always have and I always will."_

_Flashback end_

Bobby spent the next hour teaching Harry al about witches and how to void their spells. Harry wondered if those techniques would work with his kind of magic but before he could even think about asking Bobby what kinds of magic were affected, he yawned. It had been a long night and was time to sleep.

The next morning, Harry was woken up by his dad's favorite song ringing from his cell phone. Once he realized what woke him up, Harry eagerly answered the phone.

"Hi dad," he said, rubbing his eyes.

"Hey Hare-bear!" Dean greeted, sounding very cheerful for the morning making Harry suspicious.

"What did you do?" he asked, frowning.

Harry could imagine his dad smirking as he replied, "What do you mean?"

Harry sighed, "You're too happy too early," he explained, "Either you never went to bed or Uncle Sam isn't very happy right now."

Dean couldn't help but laugh, "You're definitely me kid," he said proudly, "How did you get so smart?"

"No thanks to you," Harry said, playfully.

"Ouch!" Dean exclaimed, "You just broke my heart."

Harry sighed once again, "What did you do?" he demanded.

"I may have put itching powder in Sam's clothes for today, and I may have put honey in his hair." Dean said.

Harry laughed, "Good one, dad!" he said, "What did you do to grandpa?"

"Grandpa?" Dean exclaimed, "I wouldn't touch him with a fifty foot pole! He'd probably make me polish all the weapons and be bait."

"Dad,"

"So I may have switched the contents of his flask with vinegar." Dean said, "No big deal."

Harry laughed once more, before sobering a bit, "I miss you," he admitted.

"I'll be back before you know it," he said, "How about we take Millie to the Aquatics Center when we get back?"

"Yeah!" Harry cheered, "And then we can go to the restaurant afterward!"

Dean chuckled, "You read my mind, my little magician." He said, "Now, can you tell me what Bobby taught you about our hunt?"


	8. Chapter 8

It took John, Sam, and Dean two weeks to finish the hunt, and Harry missed them a lot. It was the longest Harry had ever been away from his dad since they were joined and he hated it. Towards the end, Harry spent his time staring out the window, or playing outside, listening for the Impala's familiar rumble. When he finally heard it, Harry immediately shouted for Bobby announcing their presence, and ran outside. As soon as his dad got out of the Impala, Harry literally tackled him, making Dean loose his footing.

"Umph! Maybe we should sign you up for football instead of soccer, Hare-bear." Dean teased, not that Harry cared, being too busy trying to squeeze his dad to death.

Harry allowed his dad to pick him up and burrowed his head in his dad's shoulder. Dean realized that this was no time for jokes and took his son inside. The duo went into the living room, and Dean sat down with Harry on his lap.

"I take it you missed me then," Dean said and Harry nodded. "I missed you too, my magician. I almost told my dad to find someone else to help him when I realized how long the hunt was taking."

Harry looked up at his dad, "Are we going home soon?" he asked, "I have school tomorrow." He didn't want to show how much their separation cost him.

Dean nodded, "Let me just eat something and say bye to your grandpa and uncles and we'll go. I'm sure AC and DC are driving Millie crazy!"

Harry smiled slightly before getting down off his dad's lap and leading him to the kitchen. He had Dean pull out the ground beef and fry it before adding some already cooked noodles and mushroom sauce. Dinner was ready within the hour. The elder Winchesters ate like starving men. Harry had already eaten so while his dad was filling his stomach he packed up his things and took his bag to the car. He loved spending time with Bobby but he was anxious to be home with his dad.

"Your kid looks quite eager there," John said, looking out the window.

Dean shrugged, "He has school tomorrow. Harry's more serious about school than Sammy." He joked.

John frowned, "You'd think he'd want to stay and get to know his family."

"Dad," Dean said reproachfully, "Harry would love to get to know you, but right now he's just anxious to go home with me. He's never been separated from me for more than a few days let alone 2 weeks, not to mention he has his friends, Millie, and school to get back to."

"When you were his age a few weeks didn't faze you," John said.

Dean snorted, "Of course it did," he corrected, "I just hid it from you."

Dean polished off his plate and walked outside without sparing his father even a glance. All of his things were already in the car and all he had to do was say bye. He gave Bobby a nod, telling him that they'd visit when they could.

He moved on to Sam and gave him a quick hug, "Be safe," he whispered and Sam nodded.

Harry followed his dad's example and hugged Bobby and Sam. Bobby cautioned him against the world and Sam just told the kid to do well in school. When it was John's turn, Dean shook his father's hand and Harry followed his example.

"It was good seeing you," he said, looking at Dean and added, "Both of you. I would like to visit from time to time."

Harry bit his lip, still remembering John's reaction the day they met. In the end Harry just nodded and walked back to the car and sat down in his seat. John couldn't help but feel slightly hurt at his grandson's reaction but told himself that it was normal. The group of hunters watched as Dean drove away with his son.

When they got home, Harry was half-asleep, but that didn't prevent him from racing into the house to greet all his pets. He was so engrossed in playing with them that he didn't even notice Millie was in the kitchen. Not that she went ignored for long seeing as Dean noticed and gave her a long kiss hello. She smiled and indulged him.

"It's been two weeks Dean, without my two favorite men," Millie said, pouting.

Dean gave her an apologetic look, "Sorry babe," he said, "It turned out to be a bit longer than expected."

"It being what?" Millie asked.

Dean was about to say something when Harry ran into the kitchen and when he noticed Millie, gave her a big hug. "Millie!" he exclaimed, "I missed you so much!"

"Did you have fun?" Millie asked, giving Dean a look that meant their discussion was not over.

Harry shrugged, "It was alright," he admitted, "But I missed home a lot!"

"Well home missed you too," Millie told him, "Beauty kept yowling and your dogs almost set off on a search and rescue mission to find you."

"And Zeppy?" Harry asked, worriedly.

Millie gave him a sly smile, "Well, we all know that Zeppy is the wise man in the house. He knew you'd be back and tried to help me keep the others in check. There was this one time where he had to tackle Beauty in order to keep her in the house."

Harry giggled, "Don't be silly Millie! Zeppy is a dignified rabbit." He said, "He would never tackle Beauty."

"Yeah Millie," Dean chimed in teasingly, "Don't be silly!"

She rolled her eyes at the Winchesters, "Well, I have to run!" she told them, grabbing her purse and brushing off her dress, "Mom and I are meeting for dinner. It's dad's birthday."

Dean nodded understandably, "Enjoy your dinner and tell your folks that I said hi," he said.

"Tell Mrs. Riley to expect me for cookies after school!" Harry exclaimed, mentally drooling at even the thought.

Millie snorted at the youth but nodded, giving them a hug before getting out of the house and to her car. Dean and Harry unpacked the car and went to sleep. It had been a long day.

The 6 months were fairly routine; Dean went to work and Harry to school. Dean found himself rescuing cats stuck in trees, watering the town park due, and very rarely did he have to fight any sort of fires. He had to admit that compared to hunting, being a firefighter was not really a very exciting job.

"Dad!" Harry cried as he ran into the house after the school bus dropped him off, "You have to come to school! It would be so cool!"

Dean was a bit confused, "What are you talking about my young magician?" he asked, catching the rouge child before he slide across the room on his face.

Harry beamed at him, "It's Career Day and school on Monday! Every student is expected to bring a parent to school and give a presentation on their career. I'm going to have the coolest one in the class!"

"Harry," Dean said, "We can't really advertise that I'm a hunter, you know."

Harry looked at his dad as if he just announced that he was going to a Britney Spears concert in drag. "Who said anything about hunting? You're a fireman, dad! Everyone else's parent works in an office. The only person who might be even remotely interesting is Cassie's dad and that's because he's a vet."

"Firefighter right," Dean drawled sarcastically. He was somewhat disappointed that his first job wasn't as a hunter anymore.

Harry didn't notice his dad's preoccupation and ran up t his room to put away his bag and take out the Career Day Assignment. He took it into the kitchen and put it on the table for Dean browse through while he made dinner.

"This project is going to be wicked! We can have you come in all dressed up in your suit and maybe the department will let us borrow Sparky! I'll start talking about your job when suddenly there's a bell going off and you and Sparky rush in as if to save us all from the fire. Then you could tell the class all about your job and do the usual fire safety talk."

Dean couldn't help but find his son's ideas terribly amusing. He considered telling him to cut out the Drama but then again, he never got to experience it as a child and wanted to live vicariously through his son. He was about to comment when the door bell rang. Dean got up, warned his son to stay away from the stove and knives while he was getting the door. He opened it and was met by two very unexpected people; his father and his brother.

"Hey Dean," Sam greeted, "Is this a bad time?"

Dean looked at John, feeling slightly panicky. He was alright with Sam knowing where he lived, but John knowing was a different story. He showed them in and led them to the kitchen where Harry was waiting. Once he entered, Harry didn't even spare them a glance before rushing off to stir the pasta sauce so it wouldn't burn.

"Finally," he exclaimed, "How long does it take to dismiss the Jehovah's Witnesses?"

Dean rolled his eyes, "You know I make it an art form now," he said, "In any case I doubt your uncle and grandfather would join them."

Harry immediately turned around, sending his spoon flying to the ground. He spotted Sam and gave the younger man a giant hug. "I missed you!" he said and then turning to his grandfather gave him a slightly faster hug.

"What are you doing here? I know that dad wasn't expecting you." Harry said, picking up the spoon and rinsing it off with water.

Sam looked a bit nervous so he busied himself with helping Harry while Dean and John went to the living room. Harry watched them sadly, somehow knowing that whatever it was, he wouldn't like it.

"So," Sam started, "How have you been?"

Harry turned back to his uncle, "I have a big presentation coming up where I have to tell the class all about dad's job."

"Harry, you can't tell anyone about Hunting." Sam said.

Harry rolled his eyes, "Dad's a fireman, Uncle Sam," he patiently explained, "I wouldn't explain hunting to my class; I'd be the laughing stock of the whole school."

Sam nodded and motioned for Harry to continue.

"Well other than my project, everything's been the same," Harry told him and then got a mischievous smile, "Except that Dad and Millie are engaged."

"What?" Sam exclaimed, "When…how…but…" Sam immediately ran to the living room, not caring if he was interrupting something. He engulfed his older brother in a hug and congratulated him. John was confused but Dean knew what his brother was talking about.

"Hare-bear spilled the beans." He stated.

"Why didn't you call immediately?" Sam demanded.

Dena shrugged, "It hasn't even been 24 hrs since she agreed. I figured I had time, not to mention I didn't know that Harry knew." He said eyeing his son with suspicion, "How did you know?"

Harry shrugged, "I will not be throwing my sources under the wagon wheels." He said.

Dean sighed and rolled his eyes, "How long before she burst?" he asked.

Harry gave his dad a wicked grin, "Molly called me as soon as Millie told her. She had to tell someone or she'd explode."

Sam looked at his brother, "Molly?"

Harry answered, "Millie's 16 year old sister."

"What is going on?" John asked, fed up with being the last to know.

Harry and Sam looked at Dean to explain. They weren't too eager to share the news with the Winchester patriarch. Dean glared at them mumbling something about wimps.

"I'm getting married," Dean replied, "To my girlfriend Millie."

John looked like he was in shock. Dean being a dad was one thing, but him actually settling down with a woman instead of playing musical women was too foreign a concept. When had his son changed so much and why wasn't he able to witness it? John cleared his throat.

"Congratulations, son!" he said somewhat happy, "She must be quite the girl to have tamed you."

Dean ignored the slight insult and smiled, "She's wonderful. I think mom would have really liked her."

John took on a lightly pained expression at the mention of his late wife but nodded, "Any girl who could tame a Winchester would have been alright in her book. When will I meet her?" he asked.

Dean looked at his dad in confusion before realizing that his dad had every right to meet Millie. If Harry were about to get married he'd definitely want to meet the girl if only to make sure that she was right for his son. Harry looked out the front window and smiled when he spotted a car pulling into the driveway.

"Dad! Millie's here," he exclaimed and when he ran to the window and peaked out he added, "And I think she brought Molly."

Dean winced at the last comment. While he loved Millie a great deal, his future sister-in-law was a girl who sent even the strongest men for the hills. She was a gossipmonger, a drama queen and she squealed in abnormally high pitches. Naturally Harry adored her.

"Millie! Molly!" Harry exclaimed as he ran for the door, "Guess who else is here!"

Molly, unable to resist his cuteness just engulfed him in a hug while Millie looked around anxiously. "Who?"

Dean entered the room, his father and brother not far behind. He gave Millie a sheepish smile, especially since she had no time to prepare herself for "meeting the in-laws". She let out a long breath before pasting a smile on her face. Molly followed her sister's lead.

"Mills, Molly," Dean began, "This is my father John Winchester and I believe Millie already knows my younger brother Sam."

Millie greeted the duo but Molly latched on Sam. "Where have you been hiding my future hubbie, Dean-o?" she asked, latching onto the not-so youngest Winchester.

Dean couldn't help but smirk, "Now why would I be hiding someone as important as a future husband from you Molly?" he asked, "I was just trying to keep Millie for myself before having her meet my younger brother. I promise you that I didn't even consider that doing so would prevent you from meeting your Destiny."

Molly gave Dean a long look before sighing, "I suppose you're off the hook," she sighed, "God knows that Millie would have never spared you a second glance if your younger and hotter brother was around."

"Hotter?" Dean demanded, "Younger, maybe, but I am the stud of the family."

"Sure you are, Dean-o." Molly said dismissively, giving a very nervous Sam a wink.

Dean turned to Millie, "Would you choose Sam over me?" he asked, almost pouting.

Harry couldn't help but snicker at his dad especially after Millie sent him a secret wink.

"Well," Millie said, pretending to think, "I don't know really. Sam is pretty cute."

That was the last straw, Dean was just about ready to make Sam come in second when Millie took the wound out of his sails.

"But if I had a choice, I'd go for John." She said, "You know what they saw about men with experience. Not to mention your mother married him for some reason."

John couldn't help but laugh at his sons' expressions. They looked flabbergasted and as if a gentle breeze could knock them over. He gave his future daughter-in-law a playfully leering gaze, and escorted her out to the kitchen where dinner was almost ready. Harry had already tripled the recipe when he had Sam supervising him earlier. Somehow he had a feeling that he'd have a lot more company. The group ate dinner, compliments to the chef, and finally decided to go out for some dessert.

"There was this great little ice cream shop not too far from the house when Dean was younger. Is it still around?" John asked, feeling slightly more at home.

Harry looked at his dad in excitement, "Fred's," he supplied, "Can we? They make the best chocolate sundae!"

Dean nodded and almost immediately did John and Harry lead them to Fred's. When they returned to the house it was already quite late and well passed Harry's curfew. Millie had already gone home with her sister, so all that was left was to usher the boy wonder to bed. Knowing John wanted to talk to his eldest, Sam volunteered to help Harry finish his homework and send him to bed.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Disclaimer: F.I.N.E. belongs to Aerosmith

"Whiskey?" Dean offered, already pouring himself a glass. He had a feeling he would need it.

John nodded, "Dean, what I'm about to tell you cannot go beyond you and me. The only reason I'm even telling you this now is because you're a father now and if I know you, Harry will always come first… as it should be.

"A few weeks ago I stumbled upon a pattern of strange happenings in seemingly random places across the US. There were usually electrical storms followed by cattle mutilation and finally houses being burned to the ground. The first two times could have been a coincidence but when I spotted this pattern happening here in Lawrence right before the YED got Mary, I knew it wasn't. It took me a while but I was finally able to use these signs to track that demon bitch."

Dean looked at his father with suspicion, he had a feeling he knew where this was headed, "Dad? What does this have to do with Harry and me?"

John looked nervous for the first time in Dean's memory and that did not bode well at all for the estranged Winchester son. "Dean," he started, "I think that I have a solid lead on why that demon attacked Sam, and many other infants and their families. I…I need your help."

Dean looked at his dad as if the old man had lost all of his marbles, "Are you insane?" he had to ask, "I have life now, one that has nothing to do with hunting. I have a son who depends on me to keep him safe, and a fiancé who I want to marry within the next year. I have a chance to get out of that life and really live, and you want me to turn my back on all of that and help you hunt the thing that killed mom?"

"Dean," John said, bristled, "The demon killed Mary, and I can't let it get away with that! Why do you think I've been teaching you how to hunt? I've let you play house, but you cannot deny you're a Hunter, boy! The boy's old enough for you to let go of his hand and take off the training wheels. Don't let him hold you back."

Dean had enough, the kiddie gloves were coming off, "Hold me back?" Dean asked through gritted teeth, "The only person holding me back here is you, John. My son is the most important person in my life and if you think I'm going to "take off the training wheels" just so you can get your two-but revenge on a demon, you have another thing coming. Sure, I love hunting, and saving people from things that would frequent their worst nightmares, but if I had to choose between Harry and revenge for what killed mom, Harry wins hands down.

"There are other hunters out there but Harry only has one dad. He already lost his mom; I'm not going to cost him his dad as well." Dean finished.

John scowled, "He's not a baby," he said, "I was barely around when you were Harry's age and you turned out fine."

Dean couldn't help but laugh, "Fine?" he said sarcastically, "If you mean _fucked_ up, insecure, neurotic and emotional then you're spot on. I'm in therapy you know, both Harry and I are. The shrink is surprised that I'm even able to function in normal society let alone be okay enough to raise a kid."

"What?" John demanded, "You're telling a stranger about family matters?"

Dean got sick pleasure out of agreeing, "It took her a while to accept that I really am a hunter and that ghosts were actually real but in the end it was worth almost being thrown into an institution."

John looked like he was fit to burst. He was torn between choking his son and shooting him. He was about to at least beat some sense into his older son when Sam snorted. John looked at his youngest as if he had lost his mind. It was not a good time to be interfering.

"What's so funny, boy?" John demanded, clenching and unclenching his fist.

Sam just looked at Dean amusedly before looking at his dad. The amount of anger visible on John Winchester's face was enough to sober Sam right up. He unconsciously felt for his gun and almost sighed with relief when he felt it. He may have hated his father giving him a gun instead of a stuffed bear when he was afraid of the monsters in the closet, but over the years the weapon became something much better than a Safety Blanket. It actually did protect him from the monsters.

Sam gulped and nervously tried to explain, "Well…uh…he….Dean didn't mean what he said dad." He finally blurted out.

John snorted in disgust, "I had just about enough of you boys trying to apologize for each other. I don't care that you're brothers, it's about time you both accepted the consequences for your actions."

Sam shook his head, ignoring Dean's almost silent snickering. "No, I mean that he never told a shrink about hunting." Sam was quick to correct.

John looked between his sons suspiciously, "What?"

Dean rolled his eyes and spoke up, "Do you honestly believe that I could tell a shrink about Hunting and not end up in a nut house? At the very least they'd take Harry from me and I will never allow that to happen," Dean explained, "I told her all about how I had a dead mother, an absentee traveling father who dragged his two sons all over America, and how I practically raised Sammy since infancy. I told her how my father taught Sam and I how to hunt (lower case 'h') and was never really there for us."

John looked outraged, "So you lied to the damn woman? You spread lies about me?" he asked outraged.

Dean pursed his lips and gave his father a steely glance, "I do not lie to anyone, not unless I absolutely have to. Everything I said was the truth."

John looked ready to spit nails. How dare Dean disrespect him in such a fashion? He may not have won the father of the year award, but he raised them the best he could on his own. He glared at Dean and told him just that.

Dean shook his head in mock pity, "You really think you did good by us?" he half asked half said, "Let me tell you that a normal father may have had troubles but he would have at least given his children a stable home and help them get over the grief of losing their mother. I immediately dropped what I was doing and set up house when I got Harry. I know you wanted revenge, but Sammy and I needed you."

Finally he decided it was enough. He could see John wasn't getting it and he had enough with talking about his feelings with the shrink. Finally he sighed, walked over to the door and opened it, asking his father to leave.

"If I walk out that door, do not ever expect me to walk back through it." John threatened.

Dean swallowed, and ignored his stomach which was flipping every which way. He just straightened up and pointed out the door. John being John just stalked out and Sam followed, giving his older brother a sympathetic smile.

"He's just upset," Sam tried to explain, "He didn't mean…"

Dean snorted before giving his brother an apologetic small smile, "He may have said it in the heat of the moment, but I truly meant what I said. He's not welcome in my life any longer, and especially not in Harry's while I have a say in the matter. He lives for the hunt and I will not expose my son to someone who has no respect for anyone but himself.

"Dad wanted me out there Hunting again but as long as I am a father, my son is always going to come first. John is too volatile anyway to be around Harry. One day he'll do something irreversible to him and I will have to help Harry find himself all over again. No, this is the best. Good Bye Sam," Dean finished, "Just know that _you_ are always welcome here."

Sam nodded and gave his brother a short hug. "Be safe," he said.

Dean nodded at his baby brother, "Take care of yourself Sammy. I invested a hell of a lot of time in keeping you in one piece, I don't want you wasting that."

"I won't" Sam promised and hearing his father honk the horn he waved to Dean and joined John.

Dean stared off into the night long past they had left. He wondered to himself if he did the right thing before telling him to suck it up because there was no going back. He sighed and reentered the house where Harry was curled up in a ball on the sofa. He had a nightmare and while normally Dean felt only concern and sadness, there was a hint of peace.

Harry woke up the next morning eager to spend the day with his uncle, but when he went downstairs, he only found his dad in the kitchen. He was about to ask Dean where Sam was when Harry noticed his father's expression. It was his 'I'm going to pretend everything is okay' face, the one Harry knew meant that his dad was really hurting. So instead of asking his dad what was wrong, he gave him a hug. Millie always said that a good hug would solve many of the world's problems. Looking at his dad's reaction to the embrace, Harry had to wonder if Millie was just cracked because his hug actually made his dad cry a tiny bit…not that Dean Winchester would ever admit it. Harry decided to distract his dad and pretend that the tears rolling down his dad's cheeks never happened.

"Hey dad," Harry said, "Can we start working on the Career's day presentation? I have a really good idea about how we can do it."

Dean gave his son a weak smile, "Alright," he said, "Why don't we work on your presentation first before we start the theatrics?"

Harry pouted dramatically before agreeing. The duo spent the next two hours making the perfect presentation all about firefighters. When it was time to add props, Dean delivered and brought Harry to the station. After asking his chief if it was okay, Dean took some pictures of Harry and the fire trucks, Harry and Sparky, Harry and the team, as well as Harry in Dean's suit. Once that was done, Dean picked up the stuff the group usually used in fire-safety talks with the kids including the "gifts". His friend Greg even got Harry a junior fire fighter badge to show off to his class. Harry was in heaven. He was sure that he would have the best project in the class.

When it was time for bed, Harry went willingly. "Dad," he said, "You're the best dad in the world, you know? I wouldn't trade you for all the toys in the world."

Dean felt his heart skip a beat. He thought that only happened when he thought about Millie but apparently it happened when he thought about his kid too. He felt on top of the world, despite kicking his dad out and practically disowning the man. He gave Harry a kiss on the forehead and watched him as he slept.

"You're the best kid in the world," Dean whispered to his son before walking out of the room to get to his bed.

The next week flew by really fast and Harry's project went off without a hitch. Harry and Dean put together a PowerPoint presentation and Harry was the one to be the speaker. When he showed his pictures, the moms who came for Career Day couldn't help but coo at the small eight year old and how cute he was. If Dean wasn't off the market, he would have probably scored a couple of dates, not that his being engaged stopped them. Harry's classmates were entranced by the production, so much that they barely noticed the ones following. They clutched their small stuffed Dalmatians to them as if someone were to take them away. Needless to say, it was a very easy 'A'.

When the weekend came around Millie dragged Dean and Harry out to the movies and to dinner. The movie they saw was hilarious and Harry loved it. What Millie didn't tell them was that she had invited her parents and siblings to dinner as well, to announce their engagement.

"Millie," Dean said through a strained smile as he spotted her family, "Didn't you promise me no more surprise dinners?"

Millie scoffed, "That was before you surprised me with your family and announced our engagement to them. I felt that payback was fair play."

"I didn't even know they were coming and it was Harry who spilled the beans, not me!" Dean exclaimed, glaring at his son who had already ran over to the table to his future "grandparents, aunt, and uncle".

Millie gave her fiancé a cool look, one that said, 'if you don't do this you are not going anywhere near me' so Dean hastily made his way to the table.

"Andy," he exclaimed, "How are you?"

Andy looked at Dean with a smile. Dean may have been a playboy but he could tell the man loved his daughter, "I'm good, and you?"

"I'm fine," Dean said, thinking back to his argument with his father, " And Isabelle, you're looking radiant as always."

"Dean, you're such a flatterer," Isabelle said, kissing his cheek, "Why don't we ditch Millie and Andy and run away with the circus."

Dean chuckled, "Only if Harry can come."

"Deal! He's adorable," Isabelle exclaimed hugging Harry tightly.

Dean laughed at his son's expression. It was if he didn't know whether to be embarrassed or really pleased with the compliment. Harry finally settled for embarrassed, he hated random attention. He wriggled out of Isabelle's grip and hid behind Dean making everyone laugh.

"Molly, how's school going? Bastian how's your girlfriend?" Dean finally asked once his laughter was calmed. He shook Sebastian's hand and gave Molly a slight hug.

"I broke up with Jenny," Sebastian said as Molly asked, "Where's Sam?"

Dean gave his future brother-in-law a sympathetic smile as Isabelle asked Molly who Sam was.

"He's Dean-o's brother," Molly exclaimed, "And let me tell you that if your saw him, you'd ditch Dean and run away with the circus with him."

Isabelle rolled her eyes, and dryly said, "Oh really?"

Molly enthusiastically nodded but before she could say anything else, the waiter came and gave them their drinks. He then asked if everyone was ready to order. Since the restaurant was a favorite of theirs, everyone knew what they liked and ordered.

"Dean," Isabelle said after sipping her Strawberry Daiquiri, "You should invite your family to join us. I'd really like to meet them."

Dean frowned slightly, "They had to leave," he said, "Something came up."

"Oh, that's too bad," Isabelle said, not noticing Dean's expression, "We'll have to plan something soon."

Dean gave her a tight smile, and Millie changed the subject to Harry's presentation which he happily chattered on about. The group looked quite impressed and delighted that all of their hard work got Harry a good grade. Dinner was uneventful until dessert.

Dean was anxious, his first proposal had been the very epitome of spontaneity. He had asked her during one of her sleepovers. Harry was asleep and they had been watching a movie when Dean realized that he wanted that for the rest of his life. He asked her rather abruptly, in fact she barely acknowledged the first time he asked, but once she understood his question she gave him an immediate and enthusiastic yes. Dean couldn't help but wake Harry up and tell him after they celebrated their engagement.

Dean bit his lip, waiting anxiously for the waiter to bring out the champagne and cake. He had Harry distract Millie for a second and when she turned away from the table he dropped a diamond ring into the champagne glass. Molly and Isabelle were barely able to hold h=back their squeals in delight. Andy was smirking proudly. Dean had asked for permission to marry Millie when the girls went to the bathroom earlier. When she finally turned back, she took a sip of her glass and felt the ring touch her lips. When she saw the beautiful ring she couldn't help her tears. Dean knelt down before her and the restaurant went silent.

"Emily," he said nervously, "I was never really happy in life. Sure I had my dad and brother but they never really got me, you know? My first step towards happiness was when I brought Harry home with me, but the moment I really became happy was the moment I first saw you. You looked hot playing with my son, and I knew right there and then I wanted you. So, what do you say? Let's get hitched."

Millie squealed out and engulfed Dean in a passionate kiss. "So is that a yes?" Dean couldn't help but ask.

Millie rolled her eyes, "Because I would kiss you like that if I said no." she said sarcastically making everyone laugh.

Dean's smile had never been brighter. He turned towards the audience and bowed, "Ladies, Dean James has officially been taken off the market. Dudes, you can rest easy now."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Harry was walking home from school when he ran across a limping cat. Being the bleeding heart that he was, he coaxed the poor thing into his arms and ran for the house. He frantically searched for an adult and found Millie in the kitchen making some freshly baked cookies. She had just moved in with them but it felt more like she had always been there. Millie wiped off the flour from her hands and looked at Harry.

"What happened this time?" she asked, looking at the animal in his arms half with pity half with exasperation. While she was very proud of her future step-son for wanting to change the world, she would have preferred having fewer animals in the house.

Harry cuddled the cat closer, making sure to keep the cat's leg a safe distance from his body. He put the poor thing down on the kitchen table ignoring Millie's protests. He got the animal a bowl of milk and watched as the poor thing gulped it down. He quickly ran and got some of Beauty's dry kibble and served it to the creature.

"I think he hurt his leg Millie," Harry explained, stroking the cat on the head.

Millie smiled fondly and rolled her eyes, "Are you going to call Dr. Gerandy or should I?" she asked, because despite her preference otherwise, she knew the drill.

Harry couldn't shift his focus from the cat to Mille, "I'll do it as soon as this little guy is settled. Aero is scared," he explained.

"Of course he is." She mumbled under her breath, and then watched Harry take the cat to the 'medical shed' in the back.

Cradling the poor thing as if it were made of glass, Harry called Beauty over and walked outside once more. He put Aero into a soft wool lined cage and closed it so the thing wouldn't hurt himself further. Beauty, being the way he was, sat down in front of the cage and began to watch him. AC came to the room to greet the new comer, but since Aero was hurt, Beauty kept him away. After a few minutes of the game, Harry swore that AC walked away pouting.

AC was a playful dog and he was always up for new playmates whatever the species. DC, his girlfriend, on the other hand was rather snobbish. She played with AC only when he gave her no other choice, otherwise she preferred spending her time watching the world out the living room window. She was fiercely protective of the family and rarely welcomed any newcomers. She probably saw them as a threat to her family. Harry was not at all surprised to see her lying down in front of the open side door. Far enough to seem as if she didn't care but close enough to get in the middle of things as soon as possible.

Harry gave DC a treat and quickly ran inside to call the vet. The secretary, Scarlett, knew his voice and almost as soon as he greeted her she connected him to the phone in the surgery. Dr. Gerandy took a moment to pick up.

"Hello?" the man asked, rather distractedly.

Harry smiled, "Hello Doctor," he said, making the man on the other end of the call smile. The child had a heart of gold, and the vet knew that in the future Harry definitely would be have a job with animals.

"Harry," the man greeted cheerfully, "I haven't spoken to you in a while. I was just about to call you."

Harry laughed, "But that would have messed up our routine," he said pouting playfully.

"I'm simply not used to your not calling me every week," Dr. Gerandy said defensively.

Harry sighed and forgave the man; he had bigger fish to fry. "I found a stray grey cat. He's limping and I couldn't see why. I think his leg might be strained or broken."

Dr. Gerandy nodded, not that Harry could see that. Over the years, Harry had called him many times and his prognosis was usually spot on. For a child, Harry had a very good intuition and if it was allowed, Dr. Gerandy would have allowed the kid to become his assistant. The one he currently had was barely able to tell the difference between the head and the rear end of the animals he was treating.

"I'll stop by once the clinic is closed and check him out. Just keep the poor cat's leg elevated and try to keep him calm." The doctor needlessly ordered.

Harry rolled his eyes, wondering why every adult except for his dad treated him with kid gloves. "I did that already, Dr. Gerandy. This isn't my first hoedown."

The man chuckled, "I'll see you in an hour or two then."

"Are you going to stay for dinner?" Harry asked worriedly, knowing he had been a little rude during the call, "Millie is making a ground beef and potato casserole."

"I can't today," he said, "Not because I don't want to but because my mother is coming to town and I'm having dinner with her like I always do," the man said before hanging up.

Harry grinned in relief, and ran over to the kitchen to tell Millie to expect the doctor soon when he realized that two place settings were out. He told Millie about Dr. Gerandy not being able to meet them for dinner and she put one place setting away. He looked at his future step-mom in confusion.

"Your dad's bringing Bastian for dinner." She explained, and Harry beamed.

He loved his 28 year old paramedic uncle. The guy was cool as a cucumber, and never showed a reaction to things that would shock most people. He was teaching Harry how to play the guitar and was helping him with his drums as well. Sebastian was the only musically inclined person in the family, well at least until Harry joined. He was also Dean's best friend and had introduced him to Millie since his baby sister needed a job. Harry ran upstairs and quickly did his homework so that he wouldn't have to worry about it later. It was only a few hours later when Millie called him down to greet the vet. The duo worked well together, gently taking care of the cat. Dr. Gerandy thought it was hairline fracture from jumping down from a high height but needed an x-ray to be sure. Since the clinic was only a few streets down, they walked over, Harry carrying the feline with AC and DC following. Millie told Harry to be back in twenty since that would be when Dean and Bastian would be there.

When he returned, it was without the cat because Aero sleeping of the tranquilizer Dr. Gerandy had to dose him with. He couldn't help but give Millie the play-by-play about how they cared for Aero and as soon as Dean came he also got a good dose of his chatter. Finally they sat down at the dinner table and Millie changed the subject. It wasn't that she wasn't interested in what Harry had to say, but because they had one rule at the dinner table and that was to keep work related topics out of the dining room. Harry may have not had a proper job, but everyone considered him a junior vet.

"So," Millie started, "Have you thought about what you wanted to do for your birthday this year?"

Harry nodded, thinking back to his last birthday party.

_Flashback_

_It was Harry's ninth birthday and he couldn't help but be excited. While he didn't really remember his first years with his maternal aunt, he still couldn't believe it when his dad threw him a party for his birthday. The previous year was just a family affair since they had just moved to Lawrence from New Orleans, but he enjoyed it anyway. This year Harry invited everyone in his previous class and while some were on vacation, most were able to attend. His dad had also called Sam and invited the man over along with Molly, Sebastian, Isabelle, and Andy. Millie had gone all out and booked a clown, a petting zoo and a bounce house for fun. _

_The day of the party, everyone had a wonderful time, even Sam who steered clear of the clowns. He received many presents and helped polish off the enormous cake Millie had made with her mother the previous day. Harry's favorite part of the party had to have been the animals. At the end of the day, Harry was sleepy but very happy. He considered it to be his second best party, the first being the one his dad threw him just after they found each other. While Millie, Sam and the rest of the family were cleaning up, Dean tucked Harry in._

_Harry couldn't help but hug his dad, "I love you dad," he said before yawning._

"_I love you too Hare-bear," Dean relied, "How did you like your party?"_

_Harry smiled sleepily, "It was awesome," he admitted, "Thank you!"_

_Dean smiled and walked out of his room not knowing that the thank you was more for him rescuing Harry as a young child than for throwing him the grand birthday. Harry fell asleep with a large smile on his face_

_End Flashback_

Harry shrugged, feeling modest all of a sudden. He hadn't really thought about asking for anything for his birthday. In his opinion the one last year had been enough for the rest of his life. He didn't want to seem like a burden.

Bastian smiled teasingly, "Come on Hazza," he said, "I'll bet that this year you want exotic dancers and a pool filled with whipped cream, is that right?"

Harry turned bright red, immediately protesting. Sebastian was never fazed, but that didn't stop him from doing it to other people. He claimed it was amusing. Harry called the man plain sadistic.

"I don't care," Harry protested, "Last year was enough,"

Dean smiled at his son, amazed at how selfless the boy was, "Harry," he said, "It's only once that a kid enters his double digits. We don't mind celebrating with a big party. It is, after all, the only time when Bast can act his age, you know."

Without missing a beat, Bastian agreed making Millie slap him over the head. Harry couldn't hold back his amusement and found himself bent over, holding his stomach from laughter. When he finally calmed down he took a sip of his cola.

Harry was silent for a moment, but then said, "Would it be okay if I had two parties?" he asked.

Dean smirked, "Oh, so one party isn't enough, now you have to have two of them?" he asked teasingly.

Harry smiled at his dad, "No," he said rolling his eyes, "I want one with my friends and one with my family." He explained.

Millie smirked, "Don't want your old man messing up your rep then?" she asked, sticking her tongue out at her fiancé.

Harry laughed but shook his head negative, "I just don't want you guys bored at a kid's party. I don't need two if you don't want."

Millie smiled her future step-son, "We don't mind honey," she said, "As long as it's reasonable."

Harry nodded, "I was thinking about inviting my friends to the water park for the day. My birthday is always so hot that I thought it makes sense to go somewhere fun and cool." He explained.

Millie beamed at him and kissed him on the forehead, "That's a great idea, Harry! Even better that there's virtually no planning or preparing involved. What do you think Dean?"

Dean smirked, "I'm thinking that I may just have to crash this party if they're going to Splashville. I love that place and would never turn down the opportunity to go."

Harry glared at his dad for a second before sighing and rolling his eyes, "Burst my bubble why don't you. Here I thought I'd be able to get rid of you for a couple hours but instead I find out you'll be joining us." He said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

Dean smiled, "Hey," he said, "There has to be a chaperone anyway, to make sure you kids keep it PG, so why not the cool parent?"

"Dude," said his best friend, not being able to hold back his laugh, "The words cool and parent are not allowed to be in the same sentence, except for it there's a not in there. Why don't you let me do the babysitting?"

Dean glared at Bastian, "Just because I have a kid does not mean my cool factor went down. If anything its boosted because I have this awesome mini clone now as well. It's like the big guy up stairs wanted two of me around because he liked me so much." Dean boasted.

"Or you're a failed experiment and Harry's your replacement." Bastian replied.

"Hey!" Dean called out, "Not cool, bro!"

"I'm just saying it how it is."

"Guys," Millie interrupted, "We're talking about Harry's birthday, not having a pissing contest here. Behave!"

The boys glared at each other but complied with Millie's demand. They spent the rest of dinner hashing out the details of Harry's birthday and before they knew it, it was late and time for the evening to come to an end. As Millie cleaned up, Dean was regaled by Harry's rambling about Aero, the cat he had just found. Dean looked pained at the thought of having another pet, but did not see any other options. He knew how Harry got whenever he came across some animal and named it. That was how they ended up with Beauty, AC and DC. They also had a cat named Ozzy but he died of an illness almost a year prior. It was late when Harry finally drifted off to sleep and Millie and Dean soon joined his ranks.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

It was practically pitch black outside, the moon was only a tiny sliver in the sky and a large black dog was lurking in the shadows. It looked like it was searching for something. Dean sighed and shut off the television, just about ready to join Millie in bed when he heard a strange creaking coming from the front hallway. Almost immediately he stood up from the couch and grabbed the baseball bat Harry used for practice. Dean cursed himself for letting Millie talk him into leaving his guns locked up in the garage. He thought back to the article he saw on the front page the other night, proclaiming a British mass killer was loose and found his way to America. He sighed, reminding himself that the man was on the run and probably wasn't anywhere near Lawrence and that he was just imagining things. He hadn't heard anything else and convinced himself that it was probably AC fooling around again. He put down the bat and head towards the stairs when he heard a soft thump and someone swearing under their breath. Dean froze and took a step towards the front hallway. He peeked around the corner and could see the outline of a stranger nursing his foot. Dean narrowed his eyes; the only thing important to him now was protecting Harry and Millie. He slowly crept behind the stranger and grabbed him in a debilitating hold. He spun the guy around and punched him in the stomach. The man grunted, bending slightly to cradle his stomach when Dean swung another fist at him. The man dodged he hit, but just barely. He used the momentum of his movement to come around and hit Dean in the back. Dean had the wind knocked out of him but didn't let it keep him down for long. The duo got into a fight, ducking and dodging, punching and kicking. They also seemed to be trying to keep the noise and damage to their surroundings to a minimum. Dean fought back with everything that he had but his opponent was pretty good. He got a jolt of familiarity but before he could think on it the lights flashed on, momentarily blinding him. He looked up to see who he was fighting and was surprised.

"Sam, Dean," Mille called, clad in a loose t-shirt that used to belong to her brother, and orange panties, "What the hell are you two doing? It's the middle of the night."

"Sam?" Dean asked, "What the hell? I could have killed you! What are you doing sneaking around the house?" He sounded a lot like his father, and it nearly gave his brother the shivers.

Sam smiled at his brother sheepishly, "I saw that the lights were off so I used my key to get in. I need to talk to you, but I figured I could wait until morning. I was planning to sleep on the couch." He explained.

Millie rolled her eyes at Sam's story and went back to bed. Dean could deal with his brother. Dean gave his brother an exasperated look.

"Next time call ahead," he said, "So that I don't go all ninja on you and kick your ass. I'd hate to explain to the lovely nurses at Lawrence General why my brother was black, blue and unconscious."

Sam snorted, "As if you could hurt me,"

"Sam I didn't know you were you. I thought you were a burglar or a killer just waiting to take a swing at my son and my girl." Dean explained seriously.

Sam shook his head, "No," he said, "I meant that I'd probably be the one taking you to the hospital."

Dean glared at his brother and was about to challenge him to another fight to see who the victor would really be when he spotted a very sleepy nine almost ten year old he dropped it and smiled. Sam looked at Dean as if he was crazy until he also spotted his favorite nephew. He gave Dean a teasing look, as if to say that his brother grew soft, especially with his son around.

Dean scowled at Sam but otherwise ignored him. Instead he allowed Harry to walk over and hoisted him into his arms. Poor boy was dead on his feet. Harry looked like he wanted nothing more than to fall asleep in his father's arms but the prospect of spending time with his Uncle Sam was too much to pass up.

"Hey Uncle Sam," Harry mumbled in a groggy voice, "I missed you."

Sam grinned at the kid, "I missed you too Lightening Bug. How have you been?" he asked, ruffling Harry's hair.

Harry scowled sleepily and half-heartedly swiped the man's hand away, "I'm okay," he said, "I found a new cat."

Dean mock scowled at his son, "You are not going to keep another stray pet. We have enough animals as it is."

Harry smiled at his dad, "Who said anything about keeping him?" he asked cheekily.

Dean tickled Harry until the boy almost peed his pants, "You did when you named the damned thing."

"Ahhh!" Harry laughed, "Alright, alright! I'll find him a home when he gets better, alright!"

Dean smiled in satisfaction, "I'm happy," he said, "Now, its late Hare-bear, time for bed."

"But dad, I didn't really spend time with Uncle Sam." Harry complained, fighting his yawn.

Sam smiled, "How about we spend a day together, just you and me. I can take you downtown and then we can go see the Lord of the Rings Trilogy at the old theater. I heard that they'll be playing the movies all night."

Harry nodded, "That sounds like fun," he admitted, "Are you going to stay for long?"

Sam shook his head sadly, "Sorry Bug, I'd love to but I have something rather important to do. In fact, that's why I came."

Dean frowned, "Harry, go to bed. I need to talk to Sammy."

"But…" Harry was about to protest but his dad cut him off with his 'he means business' look. Harry grumbled but went upstairs to his bed. He tried to eavesdrop on their conversation, but his bed was too inviting and he fell fast asleep.

Dean looked at his brother in question and the younger hunter sighed, and sat down on the sofa. Dean went to the kitchen and pulled out two beers. He then sat down and passed the beverage to his brother.

"Why are you here Sammy?" Dean asked gruffly, knowing he wouldn't like it.

Sam winced at the nickname but let it go. "I need your help Dean." He said, "Dad's missing,"

Dean snorted, "He's always missing. Remember that time when we were in Streetsboro, OH and dad hadn't met up with us like he said he would. It wasn't really the first time he did that, but it was the longest. We finally found him drinking gin with Caleb, remember."

Sam smiled tightly, "I don't think that's the case this time, Dean. I haven't heard from dad in a few months and the last message I got from him wasn't very useful. Here listen."

Sam played his voicemail for his brother and Dean listened, "There's…"

"I know, here's an enhanced version," Sam said, pulling out his laptop and playing back the message, only this time more enhanced.

"I can never go home," a woman said, mournfully.

Dean felt his eye brows rise of their own accord. Sam just sighed and showed Dean a text message he received right afterwards. They were coordinates.

"Dean I need your help to find dad," Sam said, "I think something happened to him. He said something about following up on a lead about the thing that killed mom and disappeared. The next thing I knew, I was getting the voicemail and text."

"Sam," Dean said, "I can't just up and leave, looking for dad. I have responsibilities now, a job, a kid and a fiancé not to mention the house and Harry's menagerie…"

"Please Dean," Sam pleaded, "Just over the weekend. I really need your help."

Dean sighed, rubbing his head, "I… let me talk to Mills and Harry. If they don't mind, I'll go, but not for any longer than the weekend, alright?"

Sam grinned, "Thanks Dean," he said gratefully, "I really appreciate this."

"Yeah, yeah," Dean waved it off, "Just make sure I actually do get home in one piece before work on Monday. Let me go talk to Millie and Harry really quickly and we'll go."

Sam looked nervous, "Maybe we should wait for morning and talk to them then," he said, anxious about Millie's reaction.

Dean grinned, "Awww, are you scared of your future sister-in-law?" he taunted.

Sam rolled his eyes and watched as his older brother went upstairs. All was silent for a moment before he heard Dean cry out in surprise and a thunk. He waited a few minutes before Dean came down, Harry sleepily trailing behind him. Sam looked at his brother questioningly but it was Harry who replied.

"I just want to say bye before you guys leave. Do you need me to help Bobby with research?" he asked, unable to hide the hope in his voice.

Dean snorted, "You have some tests tomorrow buddy," he said, "Not to mention that next week is your last week of school. I'll only be gone until Monday, I promise."

Harry sighed disappointedly but nodded. He gave his dad a very big hug and told him to come home soon. He gave his uncle a hug, reminding him about their special day planned. Sam promised to hang out with him as soon as he could. Since Dean was already packed, he grabbed his gear when Harry was saying bye to Sam, the brothers drove off into the night in Dean's Impala.

Harry sighed and decided to go back to bed. He was about to turn around when he spotted the large black dog. The poor thing looked emancipated and its fur was matted. He couldn't help but pity the poor thing. He was about to call it over but then remembered his dad's rule about stray dogs. He called DC over and filed 2 bowls with some meat and water. He then took it outside and put them don where the dog could see them. He then gently called the poor thing. At first the dog looked very discouraged, even when he saw the food but when he spotted Harry the dog froze. It stared at the nine year old for a long time until it finally started to walk towards them. DC stood protectively in front of Harry but after sniffing the dog she relaxed slightly. Harry took that as a good sign and slowly walked up to the dog, as if not to startle it. When Harry finally got close enough to pet it, the dog sniffed him barked and started wagging its tail. Harry couldn't help but giggle, especially when the dog started licking his hand. He finally brought the dog inside and fed the poor thing some food. Dr. Gerandy warned him not to give starved dogs too much or else their stomachs wouldn't be able to handle it. Once the dog ate everything Harry took him to the mess room where there was a bathtub they used for dogs. The first thing he did was fill the tub with warm water. He checked to make sure that the dog didn't mind baths before putting it in. He gently rubbed shampoo into the dog's coat, careful not to pull. Once he finished the first wash he saw that the water was filthy. He changed the water and washed him again. Seeing that it wasn't doing anything for the tangles, he brought out the shaver he used for AC and DC and shaved all of the dog's fur off. The dog looked at Harry as if to ask what he did with his fur.

"I had to shave you," Harry explained, "Your fur was impossible to detangle and shaving you will also give the fleas less incentive to set up shop. I'll have to put some flea repellant in and take you to go see Dr. Gerandy to give you a check up later today."

Harry yawned and locked the dog in the dog's room, knowing DC would look after him. He went to bed and collapsed, exhausted. The next morning he woke up to Millie's scream. He was about to race downstairs when he heard something come up. Almost as soon as he opened the door, a pink blur came towards him. The dog he found the night before seemed almost desperate to get close to Harry. He didn't jump on Harry but it was a close thing. Seeing the dog was shaking, Harry squatted down and started stroking the poor animal. He was so scared.

"Harry!" Millie called, "What was that dog doing in AC and DC's room?

Harry grinned into the dog's fur, "I found him last night. He was starving and his fur was all matted. I found him after dad left."

"Harry, you know your dad doesn't want you to be taking stray dogs off the street without an adult!"

"DC was with me, and he's a nice dog. I think I'll call you Black after Black Sabbath." He said to the dog ho seemed to freeze at the name, "You don't like it?" he asked.

The dog seemed to shake his head before barking as if to say that of course he liked it. Harry went downstairs, chuckling at Black's antics. He sat down at the table and accepted the bowl of cereal Millie set before him.

"I take it you're going to take your new patient to Dr. Gerandy later." Millie said after filling Black's bowl with some food. Harry warned her not to feed him too much.

After breakfast Harry put AC, DC and Black on leashes and walked them over to the vet office. Normally if a nine year old walked three overgrown mutts they'd be pulling him along but since the three dogs respected Harry, they walked there without incident. No one was in the waiting room when they arrived so Harry made his way to the surgery. Dr. Gerandy was working on some paper work.

"Hello Harry," he said, "I wasn't expecting you so soon. The cat you found is still out of it after the meds I have her."

Harry nodded, "Actually I found another animal; this is Black. I had to shave off all his fur because of how matted it was. He was also practically skin and bones."

Dr. Gerandy nodded and walked over to Black. He lifted the dog unto the table and gave him a quick check up. He listened to his heart and lungs, felt his stomach and checked his rectal area much to Black's embarrassment. He then drew some blood and took an x-ray. While they waited for the film to develop he checked AC and Dc and gave them their shots. Once the doctor checked the chest and abdomen x ray, he said that despite his emaciation, Black was healthy.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

After a semi-successful hunt Dean was just about ready to go home and collapse on his bed. He loved to hunt, and felt satisfied even when the only thing he managed to do was put a spirit to rest. Saving lives always gave Dean a certain thrill and a piece of happiness he couldn't find anywhere else. He looked to his sleeping brother and smiled softly. He'd rather pull his teeth out than admit that he missed hunting with Sam. He trusted no one else more to have his back during a hunt. When they worked together it felt as if they were in sync; if Dean did something Sam subconsciously did something else to compliment him.

Dean turned his attention back to the road when he spotted dark and heavy smoke rising to the sky. He immediately knew something as wrong so he pulled out his cell-phone and dialed for home. It rang once and then twice and then didn't ring at all. He cursed and threw his phone down, waking Sam.

"Dean," Sam mumbled sleepily, "What's going on?"

Dean didn't answer, instead, he sped up, determined to go home and confirm that nothing was wrong. He went as fast as he could, ignoring most if not all rules of traffic just to get home. When he finally pulled up on his street and spotted the fire trucks, police and ambulances sitting in front of his house, his heart almost stopped. He parked haphazardly next to the police tape and practically jumped out of his Impala. He walked mindlessly towards the house, shrugging of the hands of well-meaning officials. His friends from the firehouse were busy fighting the flames which had engulfed his house so it was up to his boss to speak to him.

"Dean, I…" the man started but was cut off when Dean held up his hand.

"Where…" Dean couldn't even ask his question but his boss knew what he was asking anyway.

He pointed towards the ambulance and Dean spotted AC and DC sitting there. His heart leapt into his throat. Dean started walking over as the fire chief said, "We were too late Dean. She was gone before we got here. I think Harry witnessed his death, he's refusing to speak."

As Dean walked over towards his son, he couldn't help but note how small Harry seemed to be. He hadn't seen Harry looking so meek since the beginning and it hurt Dean to think about what Harry had been through. He looked towards the house as if longing to go in there but held himself back. Instead he stumbled over to his son and engulfed the young boy into a tight hug. Harry was silent, staring into nothing but almost as soon as Dean latched onto him he just latched onto his father. Dean buried his face into Harry's hair and held the young boy.

"Oh god," Dean mumbled, "It's my fault. I shouldn't have left you. I'm so sorry,"

Harry was shaking, barely able to comprehend that his father was there let alone what had just happened. He just clung to Dean, hoping that if he held on long enough, he'd be alright. Dean just kept blaming himself, holding onto Harry, making sure he was alive. When Sam finally made his way over to them he knew it was his turn to be Dean's support. His older brother and nephew needed him. Listening to Dean's proclamations of guilt, Sam knew he had to step in. Sam watched them, feeling horrible for the small family. Millie and Harry had become Dean's whole world and with his girlfriend gone and his son hurting, Dean was lost.

"Harry?" Sam asked taking the youth's face in his hands to help him focus, "What happened?"

Harry stared aimlessly into Sam's face before numbly replying. As he spoke, he started reacting and regaining even a semblance of life, "It was dark outside, not quite time for bed. I was in my room finishing my homework for tomorrow when I heard someone walking around in your room. I thought it was Millie so I got up and snuck over there intending to scare her. It was dark and I couldn't see well so I turned on the light. It wasn't Millie."

Harry paused, clearly trying to get his thoughts in order. Dean held onto his son tightly, terrified for what his son had been through. Sam looked between his brother and nephew and sighed. He squatted down in front of them and wiped away Harry's tears.

"Who was it Harry?" he asked quietly.

Harry looked at his uncle with haunted eyes, "It was a man," he whispered, and Dean kissed his head, "He talked to me and said I was a lot like my uncle. He gave me this…smile before frowning and muttering something about me being too old to turn properly. He then said something about me causing a delay in his plans. It didn't make sense. He gave me this stare before he started advancing on me. He grabbed my arm so tightly it hurt, and then Millie entered the room.

Harry paused again, tears rolling down his cheeks, "He turned his attention to her, threw me away from himself and grinned. I don't really remember what happened next. There was shouting and then a flash of light. It was so familiar. Before I knew it the man waved his hand and Millie was on the ceiling. I was hiding behind the door but I don't think I needed to because he wasn't paying attention to me. The man gave Millie this creepy smile and she started to panic. Blood started leaking out of her and the room started on fire. The last thing I saw before I fell unconscious was a pair of glowing yellow eyes.

"The next thing I remember was Black pulling me out of the burning house."

Dean pulled his son even closer and hid his face in his son's hair. His shoulders were shaking and Harry could feel his father's tears falling. Knowing that his father hated being seen as weak, Harry asked Sam to take AC, DC, and Black and get them some food and water. He had to be strong, at least until his dad could be strong for him. Sam complied knowing why Harry was sending him away and gave his nephew a sad smile. He walked off with the dogs. Black seemed like he wanted to stay but the temptation of food and water was too much for him. He looked back at Harry with his father one more time before catching up with Sam.

Harry turned around and burrowed his head in his dad's chest. He didn't know what he would have done if it was Dean not Millie who died. He loved Millie very much but if Dean died, Harry would be broken. The two cuddled for a while until they were joined by Bastian. He had just heard about the fire and practically flew to the site. He took one look at Dean and Harry and knew his sister was dead. His knees couldn't support him anymore, and he collapsed. His coworker spotted his collapse and helped the man to the same ambulance Harry and Dean were at. He then drove the trio to the hospital.

Harry was the worst off due to the shock and the fire; Millie's death and the exposure to smoke and flames. The doctors gave him some clean oxygen and gave him a strong sedative. Harry tried to fight the effects but he was fast asleep in moments. Dean on the other hand refused treatment. He could not take his eyes off his son, terrified something would happen to him as well. Bastian, since he was too distraught to protest, was immediately sedated and placed in a bed next to Harry's. Sam had followed the ambulance with the dogs in the back seat. He left them in the car as he checked on his brother. Dean asked Sam to get a room for the night and to come back in the morning.

Harry woke up the next morning wondering where he was. It smelled sterile and the bed sheets were extra starchy. His dad was sleeping half in the chair half on his bed. Harry was confused for a moment until he spotted Sebastian and his almost grandmother. Then he remembered. He started shaking immediately and tears started streaming down his cheeks. He woke up Dean with his soft sobs and found himself in his dad's comforting embrace in seconds.

"Let it out, Harry," Dean cooed, "I'm here."

They were discharged only a few hours later, and left the hospital. Sam was waiting for them in the Lobby and once he saw Harry he embraced him. Harry couldn't help but lean into the comfort. They got into the car, Dean driving and Harry surrounded by dogs. Sam told Harry without asking that Beauty and Zeppy didn't make it out. They drove to the motel in silence.

"Dad," Harry finally saying his first words all day, "What are we going to do?"

Dean was silent for a moment, "I…we…" he walked away, unable to speak.

Harry asked Sam the same question, "I don't know Lightening Bug. This is your dad's decision, not mine. Just know I will help you guys out where I can."

Harry hugged his uncle and fell asleep in his arms. The poor kid had been dealt a bad hand in life and Sam couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He lay the nine year old on the bed and almost immediately did the three dogs jump on the bed and lay down around Harry as if to protect him. Dean looked at his son finally asleep and just laid down beside him; he didn't think that he could let Harry out of his sight for long again.

The next morning Harry woke up he looked around himself not knowing where he was. He scanned the room until he spotted his dad's hunting jacket and relaxed. Dean reentered the room from the outside and sat down on the foot of Harry's bed while Black followed him and laid down on the floor keeping a constant eye on Harry.

"Hey kid," Dean said gruffly, "How are you doing?"

Harry gave his dad a slight smile and was about to reassure him that all was well when he suddenly remembered. It hit him like a two by four, practically knocking the wind right out of him. He remembered the fire and the screams before finally remembering Millie's death. Harry couldn't help but curl up in a little ball and whimper. Dean reached out to his son and pulled the nine almost ten year old on his lap. Harry could feel a panic attack hitting him, and couldn't catch his breath. Dean put his son against his chest and took exaggerated breaths, telling his son to synchronize his breathing to his own. When Harry finally calmed down enough he promptly turned his face into his father's chest and gave out a heart wrenching sob.

"She's gone," he mumbled, "Millie's gone!"

Dean swallowed down his tears suddenly hit with grief, "Yeah," he agreed, "She's gone."

"Why does everyone who loves me die?" Harry asked.

Dean couldn't help the lone tear that rolled down his cheek. He hugged Harry tightly and told him that he was still there and that even if he died he would never leave him. Harry just clung to his father and cried. It took a good hour for Harry to cry himself back to sleep and in Dean's arms.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Sam walked in on his brother and nephew just sitting together lamenting the loss of their family. They looked so lost and Sam didn't know how to help them. He didn't want to intrude on their private moment, but had no choice.

"Ummm Dean," Sam said awkwardly, "Can I have a word?"

Dean silently nodded and kissed his son's head tenderly as if afraid that he'd die too. After a long moment, he left Harry on the bed while he joined his brother by the door. Black took Dean's spot and began comforting the pre-teen by snuggling and licking him. Harry just buried his face in Black's fur. Dean didn't know where the dog came from, but Black was good for Harry so he'd let it slide. Knowing Millie as he did, he knew she'd never let Harry endanger himself and since she approved, the dog could stay.

Dean gave his brother almost his full attention, "What is it Sam?" he asked wearily.

Sam looked at his brother with pity; he couldn't help it. Neither Dean nor Harry had been dealt the easy hand in life and this latest setback had the potential to break them. He had to tread carefully, and according to the few psych classes he took he had to help his brother overcome the grieving process.

"I don't think staying here in Lawrence is good for you or Harry. Between all the memories and the fact that everyone knows what happened, staying here could break you or Harry."

Dean laughed bitterly, "Well then Sam, where would we go? This is our home," he said.

Sam sighed, "What about Bobby's?" he asked, "Harry loves it there and Bobby could help you more than I could. He lost his wife."

Dean was about to reject his brother's idea when he realized that maybe Sam was right. Harry could barely function and Dean felt like the apocalypse just hit him. He needed Harry to be okay again and while Bobby wasn't the most affectionate person on the planet, he cared a lot for them. It also helped that over the years Dean saw Bobby as more of a father figure than his own father ever was. He couldn't help but want his 'dad' to fix everything and make it go away.

"Alright Sam," Dean said, "But you take care of telling him. I don't think…Harry needs me."

Sam nodded, and pulled out his phone dialing Bobby Singer. He waited for a moment until he heard Bobby's gruff voice. "Hello?"

"Hey Bobby! Its Sam and I have some bad news."

"What's going on Sam? Is that daddy of yours still missing?"

Sam blinked at the reminder. Honestly the fact that his father was missing just slipped his mind. Dean needed him and that trumped any obligation he had to his father.

"Well yes, he is but this isn't about dad. It's about Dean and Harry."

Bobby was silent for a whole two seconds before demanding Sam to explain. Sam quickly complied and told Bobby everything Harry shared with them about the murder of Emily Riley. It was difficult talking about his late almost sister-in-law but he knew that he was the only one who could. When Bobby finally had the full story he told Sam to get Dean and Harry to his house pronto.

"That's what I was hoping you'd say Bobby," Sam said in relief, "They can't stay here."

"When should I expect you?" Bobby asked.

Sam thought for a moment before looking at his brother trying to talk to Harry. "We'll be at your place probably as soon as we can get there." He said.

Bobby nodded even though Sam couldn't see it through the phone, "See you tomorrow then. Dean never drives straight here from Lawrence with Harry in his back seat. He'd want to stop at a motel somewhere. Are you bringing the menagerie?"

Sam sighed, "Only three dogs," he said, "The others didn't make it."

"Three?" Bobby asked, "Last time I checked they only had the two dogs and Dean swore that would be it."

Sam shrugged, "I can't really see Dean not keeping the dog; it pulled Harry out of the house and is pretty much his rock for now." He said.

Bobby sighed, "I'll have to take care of Rumsfeld then. Maybe Ellen will take him. While he knows AC and DC, and approves of them I don't think he will be able to tolerate them and another dog staying for longer than three days in his territory."

Sam had no idea what Bobby was saying. While he liked dogs, he didn't have a clue about them. John never let them have so much as a goldfish let alone a dog.

"Good luck with that then," Sam said awkwardly.

Bobby just snorted, "Just get that brother of yours and his brat here before something else happens to them. I'll fix up their rooms and the couch for you."

"Wait," Sam said, "Why do I have to sleep on the couch when Dean and Bug get their own rooms?"

"Ain't it obvious boy?" Bobby asked, "Because they actually visit me unlike your daddy and you. Besides, my house only has so many bedrooms."

Sam snorted and hung up on the hunter. He told Dean that Bobby was expecting them and started packing their meager belongings into the Impala. The only things they had was Dean and Sam's hunting gear as well as a few changes of clothes. Harry had nothing except for the clothes off his back. Once the Impala was packed, Dean very carefully lifted Harry into his arms and laid him on the backseat. The brothers made their way first to the fire station where Dean told his boss that he was leaving town and didn't know when he was coming back. The man's wife was there and reassured Dean that she'd take care of everything including the insurance, Harry's school, and the house. They finally hit the road to Bobby's not knowing what lie ahead.

As Bobby predicted they didn't arrive at Bobby's until well in the afternoon the next day. Sam was anxious to finally get there because Harry had stopped talking altogether and Dean was having nightmares and refused to talk about or even acknowledge them. Black, AC, and DC tried cheer up their humans, but there was only so much a dog could do. Bobby was waiting for them on the front porch. Sam sent him a text message telling him when they arrived in town. Harry was the first to get out. He looked around himself as if overwhelmed by everything before running to his hiding place. Sam and Bobby looked like they wanted to go after him, and Black did, but Dean asked them to leave Harry alone.

"He'll be alright. He needs time," he explained, knowing his son better than anyone.

The last time Harry acted like this was when his first pet Tiger died. Harry found Tiger only a week or two after he first came to Dean. He was Harry's first rescue and honestly Dean felt the cat did more for Harry than Harry did for it. Without the cat Harry would have never recovered from the neglect and abuse he suffered at his aunt's. The cat became Harry's best friend and companion. Unfortunately the cat was quite old when they found him and died only 3 years after Harry adopted Tiger into the family. For weeks Harry refused to speak, worrying Dean out of his mind. He was about to throw in the towel and call for help when Harry abruptly started acting like he used to. Sure, there was an undercurrent of sadness in everything the small boy did but as time passed it lessened.

Dean knew Harry would recover from the nightmare he suffered. Millie meant much to both him and his son and honestly Dean didn't know if he could ever have another relationship like he did with his late fiancée, but Harry would be alright. He was stronger than anyone else Dean ever knew.

Harry ran, ignoring Bobby's and Sam's calls not to mention Black on his heels. He needed someplace safe because while he felt safe in his dad's arms, it wasn't enough. Something within him changed since that night. He felt something dark settle in with his magic and it greatly unsettled him. He couldn't tell his dad; Dean already had a hard enough time accepting his magic. Sure the man loved him and never looked down upon him for having magic like his aunt and uncle did, but Dean had bad experiences. Harry finally made it to his hide-a-way and crawled into it. He curled up into a ball and started rocking back and forth, barely able to hold back his tears. Black crawled in after him, looking around in curiosity. The place was located inside of an old limousine on the property. It had several old blankets and pillows in there as well as copies of his favorite books, and a few toys. Dean also had Harry put a walkie talkie in there for emergencies. He was the only one who knew about it and the other half was hidden in Dean's bedroom at Bobby's.

Harry's mind was going in circles, and he was slowly driving himself into frenzy. It got so bad that he didn't even notice his magic rushing around him and Black barking franticly. What he did notice was when someone wrapped their arms around him and held him close, muttering nothings in his ear. He felt comforted by their presence, until he realized that he was supposed to be alone. He froze and slightly turned around to see who was holding him. The man who held him was gaunt. He had no hair on his head, and his skin was almost yellowing. The man was practically skin and bones and honestly scared Harry. The boy pulled away from the man and looked at him with doe eyes.

"Who are you?' he asked, and after looking around added, "And where is my dog?"

The man just smiled at him, "You have your mother's eyes," he said, and then cocked his head, "But you don't look much like James at all."

Harry shrunk back, "Who are you?" he asked.

"Harry," he said, "I'm your godfather. I'm Sirius Black,"

Harry tensed, recognizing the name. He blindly reached for the walkie talkie and once he had it, he opened the door and ran out of the limo. Sirius chased after him, but Harry's panic allowed his magic to increase his speed. While he ran for the house he tried calling his dad but apparently the man hadn't got to his room yet. Harry prayed that he would make it but unfortunately Sirius suddenly appeared right in front of where Harry was running. He grabbed the kid but Harry still didn't give up, he screamed out.

Dean froze in the middle of his sentence, looked out the window, and ran out the front door confusing the two other adults. They followed his line of sight and spotted Harry struggling to get away from a very familiar looking man. They grabbed their guns and bolted after Dean hoping that they could save the young almost 10 year old.

Dean was desperate as he tore out towards his son and his captor. Over and over, cycling through his head was that he couldn't lose Harry; he needed his son to be alright. When he finally reached them, he pulled out his favorite and reliable handgun and aimed it towards who he believed to be a mass-murderer. Sirius froze once the gun was pointed in his direction. Unlike his pureblooded counterparts, Sirius Black knew perfectly well what a gun was and how dangerous it could be to his health. He looked at Dean pleadingly and Dean couldn't help but think that the man's eyes were eerily similar to Harry's new dog's eyes. When Bobby and Sam finally caught up to Dean, holding out their weapons, he spoke.

"You're outnumbered, Black!" Dean shouted, "Let go of my son,"

Sirius looked at Harry, as if noticing his for the first time, and set his back on the ground. He didn't let go of his arm yet, however. "I need you to promise to listen to everything I say before I release Harry," he said, "Do I have your word that none of you will shoot?"

Dean was anxious and usually didn't negotiate with killers but he knew he had no choice. Harry was in danger and if listening to the nut job's monologue made his son safe than who was he to argue. He nodded and put down his gun. Sam and Bobby looked at Dean as if he was crazy when he suggested they do the same.

"Dean," Sam said insistently, "He's a homicidal maniac and you want us to put down our only protection against him?"

Dean nodded and gave Sam an unimpressed stare, "He has Harry, Sam," he said as if it explained all, and maybe to Dean it did.

When there were no guns pointing in Sirius' way, he let go of Harry's arm and watched the kid run to Dean and jump in his arms. Dean instinctively wrapped his arms around Harry and once Harry was calm enough, he maneuvered the boy unto his back. He then looked at Sirius and mentally asked his to explain.

"My name is Sirius Black," he said, "And I am not a murderer."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Sam stared at the convict before him in disbelief. Did the man really expect them to believe that he was innocent? The man was a prison escapee from England and the entire world was looking for him. So many people couldn't be wrong, they couldn't be chasing after an innocent man. Sam was about to tell the man to stop trying to play them because they knew his game when Dean spoke up.

"Prove it," he said, "Prove to me that you're not the mass-killer everyone makes you out to be."

Sam spluttered, "What?" he demanded, "Dean, can we talk about this?"

Dean looked at his brother out of the corner of his eye, "Sam," he hissed, "Not now,"

"Oh I'm sorry," Sam muttered sarcastically, "I didn't realize you're busy. Of course I'll talk to you about your sanity in listening and believing in a mass-murderer much later."

Dean couldn't help but pinch the bridge of his nose, "Sam, this has nothing to do with you. I need to talk to him and understand just why…" he abruptly cut himself off remembering that Sam didn't know anything about Lily or magic. The only reason he knew about Sirius' betrayal was because Hadi Anas told them all about it when he was introducing them to the magical world.

"Why what Dean?" Sam asked rudely, "Why men like him kill innocent people; or not apparently?"

Dean glared at his brother, "Stop it Sam," he ordered, "I do not want to argue with you right now. Go inside!"

Sam looked at his bother feeling betrayed so Dean softened his expression, "Can you take Harry too? He's had enough excitement to last him a thousand years." Dean said, helping Harry down and over to Sam, "I promise to tell you everything when I know it, alright?"

Sam looked like he wanted to protest but seeing how scared and tired his nephew was, he conceded. He walked over to Harry and picked him up in his arms before turning and walking to the house. He went inside and took Harry to his room where AC and DC were waiting. As usual, AC found his way into his human's bed to cuddle with him, and DC guarded the door. Sam was about to leave when Harry demanded he stay, so instead Sam found himself watching His brother confrontation out the window.

"You know, don't you?" Sirius asked, looking at Dean rather intently.

Dean nodded, "Yeah I know," he agreed, "I know all about how you betrayed Lily, Harry, and James to Voldemort. I know how you killed all those people including one of your best friends on the street. I know you were in Azkaban since Harry was 15 months old, and I know that you're a Death Eater."

Sirius immediately denied everything, "I swear I would have rather died than betray my best friend… no my brother and his family to anyone especially Him. It was Peter who did, he was the secret keeper and when I went to confront him, he framed me and killed everyone I was blamed for killing.

"I turned my back on my family, on Vol…Voldemort when I was a kid. I hate them. I'll admit that I was sent to prison but without a trial. I never got the chance to prove myself innocent."

Dean watched the man as his spieled his innocence. Sirius' story was too absurd to be anything but true. Sure he had many years to figure out what to say, but Dean's instincts told him that the man wasn't guilty and ever since learning that his gut feelings were a manifestation of the magic in his blood, he always listened to them. He sighed and ran a hand through his blondish hair before looking at Sirius with his green eyes.

"I believe you," he admitted, "But I need to be sure. Do you mind if I run a few tests?"

"Anything," Sirius promised.

"Bobby, don't shoot him," Dean said, "Just make sure the man doesn't leave. I'll be right back."

Dean walked to his Impala and pulled out his red duffel bag. He stuck his hand in it, and much to Bobby's surprise he stuck his full arm in the bag. It was as if the bag was bugger on the inside than the outside but that was impossible. When Dean finally got everything he needed, he walked over to Sirius and did a series of tests. First, he checked if the man was all human by throwing holy water on him, cutting him with a silver knife, and finally running a strange looking device over his body. It chirped once and Bobby assumed that it meant Sirius was clean. Finally Dean pulled out a vial of clear liquid, got an eye dropper and dropped two drops on the convict's tongue.

"What is your full and official name?" Dean asked.

"Sirius Orion Black the third,"

"Did you betray James, Lily, and Harry Potter to Voldemort?"

"No,"

"Did you kill Peter Pettigrew and twelve other?"

"No,"

"Do you intend to harm Harry, myself, or anyone else on this property?"

"Not unless they present any danger to Harry," he said truthfully making Dean nod in approval.

"Who are you to Harry? Why would you come find us?"

"I am Harry's godfather and I take that responsibility quite seriously. He's my last link to James and Lily-flower."

"How would you react if you found out James Potter is not Harry's biological father?" Dean asked, gravely.

Sirius stayed quiet for a moment before responding, "I'd be heartbroken, that James was the last of his bloodline but I would still love Harry. I wouldn't turn him away nor would I love him any less. James loved him as a son, and therefore Harry is still a part of his legacy. I want to keep his legacy alive."

"Why didn't you take Harry in after Lily and James died?" Dean asked, desperately knowing why this man, if he claimed to love Harry, would abandon him to live with the Dursleys.

"It wouldn't have been right to take Harry before proving my innocence. I knew that no one would grant me custody of the small baby, especially since everyone thought I betrayed Lily and James. It wouldn't have been fair or easy to raise the child on the run.

"I planned on taking in Peter and making him confess to betraying James but the little rat was ten steps ahead of me and cemented my guilt even more. He also guaranteed that the truth would never get out by faking his own death."

Dean could tell the potion was slowly wearing off. Instead of the expressionless face Sirius had earlier, he looked heartbroken and guilty. He looked at Sirius long and hard, before deciding that Sirius truly and deeply cared for his son despite not seeing him for eight years. Harry needed more people in his life that cared for him, partially because he just lost Millie but mostly because the child needed that extra love. He finally had enough of the chick click and decided to prank one of the last premiere wizard pranksters.

"What would you consider your most embarrassing moment?" Dean asked with a smirk.

Sirius looked as if he was fighting the potion, but his mouth opened and out spewed words he would eternally regret, "The time when I went on a date after babysitting Harry for the day." Sirius tried not to say.

"Why would you consider that your most embarrassing moment?" Dean asked, confused. He had gone on plenty of dates and he was Harry's dad. A babysitter shouldn't have had too much of a problem with an infant.

"Harry was less than seven months old at the time, not to mention he had a stomach problem from all the sweets I fed his in the morning. I had diarrhea on my sleeve, and sick up on my trouser leg. The girl almost contributed to what Harry lovingly left on me."

Dean couldn't help but laugh at Sirius. While Dean wished he could have been there for Harry since birth he was not going to lie and tell anyone that he wanted those kinds of moments. He could only imagine what sort of trouble baby Harry would get into. Once the potion's influence was ended, Dean walked over to Sirius and shook his hand.

"I trust you, Sirius Black. I trust you to help my keep my son safe. Harry is my world."

Sirius nodded, "Mine too," he admitted and from there on a brotherhood was formed. Dean and Sirius would do anything to keep Harry safe and happy and God help anyone who threatened that safety and happiness.

"What is this?" Bobby asked confused. One minute Sirius Black was the enemy and the next Dean trusted the man with his kid's life. Not even John, Dean's father, was fully trusted with Harry's life, not that the eldest Winchester knew that.

"That Bobby," Dean began, "Was a potion which guarantees the truth. It's very helpful when trying to keep my son safe."

"What truth potion? There ain't a truth potion, at least none that don't require supernatural aid." Bobby insisted.

Dean sighed and looked up at Harry's bedroom window where Sam was watching. He motioned for Sam to come downstairs and directed everyone else to do the same. They all sat down at Bobby's seldom used dining table and while Sam and Bobby eyed the newcomer suspiciously, Dean poured a round of drinks. He was about to start when he spotted Harry sitting on the stairs. Opening his arms wide, Harry practically jumped into them.

"First off, I'd like to introduce you to Sirius Black," Dean said, mostly to Harry, "He's your godfather, the man your mom and step-dad wanted to take care of you if something happened to them."

Harry looked at the man before asking him where he had been. Sirius looked reluctant to explain once more, especially without the aid of Veritaserium, but knew Harry deserved an explanation.

"I was in Azkaban pup," he replied and continued explaining what he was doing in the horrible place. Like Dean, Sirius didn't believe in keeping children ignorant of the world around them. It was stupid to try and protect the child by not "overwhelming them" with the details. By trusting Harry enough to tell him the truth, Sirius and Dean believed that they could keep him safer.

Sam clearly disagreed with their methods, especially since he was aiming glares in Dean's and Sirius' directions. Evidently he had forgotten how left out and lonely he felt when Dean and John kept Sam ignorant of their hunts.

"What's Azkaban?" Bobby asked, hating to be out of the know.

"It's a prison," Harry whispered with a shiver, "Guarded by the scariest monsters on the planet called dementors. They feed on people's happiness and can take their souls. I'm sorry Sirius that you were there." Sirius just smiled at Harry's compassion. It reminded Sirius of his mother.

Bobby shook his head, "I've never heard of such a creature. Not in all my books on the supernatural, not in any of my other research."

Dean nodded as if that was what he expected, "Their existence has been slashed from the record. Only a select few even know about the creatures and that's only because they can see them. Their victims, though, you've probably read about."

"So what they're invisible too?" Bobby asked, "And what about their victims? Who are the select few that know about them?"

Sirius spoke, "He's not supposed to know about them. It's breaking the Statute of Secrecy." He said urgently.

"Bobby's a hunter Sirius," Dean said, "And I trust him."

"Dad," Harry said, "Mr. Anas said not to tell anyone."

"Except for immediate family, and I don't know about you but I feel as if Sam and Bobby are immediate family." Dean said.

"But what if…" Harry trailed off, unable to share his fear.

Dean just hugged him even tighter, "It won't come to that my magician. And even if it does, I'm sure Sirius would help us." He said and Sirius nodded in complete agreement.

Harry nodded into his father's chest, "Then I should be the one to tell them," he concluded, "It's my heritage and I'm old enough now."

"Are you sure Harry?" Dean asked, "This is big,"

Harry nodded and took a calming breath. He fidgeted with his sleeve for a moment before looking Bobby and Sam in the eyes. Hopefully they would take it well.

"What do you know about natural born magic users?" he finally asked.

"Harry, there's no such…" Sam started but Bobby cut him off.

"Wizards you mean?" Bobby asked, and Harry nodded, "They're really secretive, hiding in plain sight. They get their magic from Hekate, the ancient Greek goddess of magic."

"Wait," Sam said, "Dad didn't tell us about them."

Dean snorted, "Dad didn't trust them. He says that anything that uses magic deals with demons. He refused to believe that anything supernatural could be good."

"Why are you telling us about wizards, Harry?" Bobby asked.

"I'm a wizard," he whispered, "I was born one. My mom was a witch."

Sam immediately jumped up, as if to get as far away from Harry as possible. It hurt his nephew a lot, especially since it wasn't really a conscious reaction. The man looked between his brother, who actually dragged Harry on his lap, and Harry as if waiting for someone to cry out April Fool's.

"You're serious aren't you?" Sam asked after a few minutes of silence, "Harry's really a wizard." He directed his question-statement more towards his big brother this time.

Dean nodded, "Yep," he concurred, "My son is a wand-waving, broom-flying, potion-making, familiar-having, toad-transforming…" Harry couldn't help but giggle at his dad's reply, feeling much more secure with Dean's defense of him.

"I get it," Sam interrupted dryly, knowing Dean could go on for hours.

"Are you sure?" Dean asked, "Because I can go on. I mean I haven't even mentioned his wardrobe yet not to mention the unicorns and the dragons…"

"We have Griffins too." Sirius tagged on, smirking a bit.

"No, I get it. Harry is a real life wizard." Sam said, "So no Demon deals?"

Dean actually scowled, "Do you really think Harry of all people would make a demon deal?"

"Not Harry, per say, but maybe his mother…"

"What about my mother Sam?" Harry demanded, his eyes flashing with anger. Sirius looked like he wanted to do the same but he didn't know what demon-dealing was.

"Sam, are you trying to be stupid or is today just your lucky day?" Dean demanded, "Lily is dead, and I won't have you insulting the memory of my son's mother. She was a beautiful and kind woman, and probably would have slapped you had she been around to hear your remark."

"Alright, that's enough!" Bobby exclaimed, "And stop acting like they're demons themselves. I had enough of you treating them like crap. Besides, I kind of figured that Harry was different. " Sam hadn't realized he was still standing and he sat down, albeit as far from Harry as he could.

"What are you talking about, Uncle Bobby?" Harry asked, timidly.

"Well normally when upset, a kid doesn't make everything around him fly, nor are they able to hide in plain sight." Bobby said dryly, "I can't tell you the number of times I spotted something strange around you, kid. At first I thought you had a ghost attached to you, like your mom or James…"

"Normally witches and wizards don't become ghosts unless they're terrified of dying." Sirius said, "And if they do become ghosts, they're rather like themselves at the moment of their death."

Bobby continued as if Sirius didn't speak, "And I ruled that out once the EMF reader didn't read any activity. I actually considered you being a young pagan god or something like that. Dean doesn't really or rather didn't really discriminate when it came to bed partners." Bobby said, smirking at Dean.

"Wait, what?" Dean demanded as Harry asked, "A pagan god, me?"

"Being a natural-born wizard makes a lot more sense," Bobby said, ignoring their comments, "Not that I know much about your kind."

Sirius grinned, "You're not supposed to," he said, "The fact that you even know of our kind just means that they're not doing their jobs right. Non-magic people aren't supposed to think we're anything but myths or legends."

Dean shook his head, "We're hunters Sirius," he told the ex-convict.

"Hunters?" Sirius asked, quite alarmed.

"Is that a problem?" Sam asked, still not trusting the man.

Sirius laughed nervously, "No," he said, "Not at all!"

Sam looked at him dubiously but shrugged it off. Most people don't believe in the supernatural, how would they even think of the possibility that people who hunt them exist? However Sam was right to be dubious. Hunters were a part of the bedtime stories adult purebloods told their offspring to make them behave. 'Go to bed on time or the Hunters will come and get you,' was one, or 'If you don't stop misbehaving the Hunters will come out and take you to their dens and eat you.' By the time the children grew up they stopped believing in them; Hunters were to purebloods what the boogeyman was to muggles. Children always imagined Hunters to be almost like dementors in appearance, sometimes even scarier. Wouldn't it be a hoot if purebloods learned that the very beings they scared their children with were muggles?

"As I said, we're Hunters. It's our job to know about the supernatural and to believe in those myths and legends." Dean repeated.

"Can you show me something?" Sam asked, "Whenever a witch does some voodoo around me I always get this strange feeling. I'm curious whether or not your magic will do the same." He looked at Harry.

Harry bit his lip, "I'm just a kid," he said, "I haven't learned any magic yet. I haven't been to school?"

"You mean it's not instinctual?"

Harry couldn't help but scowl, "Is Calculus instinctual to you?" he bit back.

Dean chuckled at Sam who turned bright red. Sam just smiled sheepishly at his nephew and turned his attention towards Sirius. Sirius looked lost for a second; his wand had been snapped upon entry to Azkaban and he hadn't got around to replacing it yet. He looked over towards AC who was sleeping under Dean's chair and DC who was as usual guarding the door when an idea hit him. He abruptly stood, startling Sam and Bobby who were watching him for any suspicious behavior and transformed into Black, startling everyone.

"You're Black?" Harry exclaimed, scrambling off his dad's lap and going over to the animagus to pet him.

Sirius just barked as if to say, 'I am!' Dean just stared at Sirius without emotion. Once Sam verified that it was a real transformation and not a trick, he accused Sirius of being a skin-walker. Sighing, Sirius turned back into a man and apperated around the room a couple of times amusing Harry and making Bobby weary. How could he defend against someone who could turn into a dog and teleport?

"Cool! Will I be able to do that?" Harry demanded, forgetting that he was revealing his nature as a wizard to his uncles.

Sirius chuckled and nodded, "When you turn seventeen," he replied, "Then you can get an apparition license."

Dean frowned, "Is it possible to teach Harry how to teleport before he turns seventeen?" he asked.

Sirius looked at Dean in confusion, "Teleport? Oh you mean apparate. I wouldn't recommend teaching it to him until he learned how to use his magic," he said, "Not to mention it's illegal."

Dean ignored the last part, "But is it possible? I'd prefer that my son learn this to get out of dangerous situations."

Sirius shook his head, "No," he said, "It's one of the more difficult branches of magic. Not even purebloods teach their children how to apparate and usually they're up for anything to put their kids ahead. I wish I could teach him but I can't."

Dean sighed, "It was worth a shot,"

"I can make him a portkey, however!" Sirius said, "Once I find a wand that it."

"A porky?" Dean asked befuddled.

"It's a device used to transport a witch or wizard from one place to the next. I won't tell you the details but I do know how to make one. It was part of my training to be an auror." Sirius said not noticing the mispronunciation.

The group sat in silence for a moment before Sirius spoke up once more, "How did Harry come to you?" he asked, "Dumbledore left him with Lily's sister."

Dean gritted his teeth, "I don't know who this Dumbles is, but I swear to god if I ever run into him in a dark alley somewhere one of us won't make it out alive." He swore.

"Whoa!" Sirius exclaimed, never meeting anyone who actually wanted to kill the kind old headmaster, "What did he do to put your panties in a bunch?"

Dean snorted, "He left my son with those abusive assholes."

"Abusive?" was the only thing Sirius got out of Dean's statement.

"If Lily hadn't ordered her lawyer upon her death to find me and grant me custody…" he trailed off, and pulled Harry into his lap once more, hugging him tightly.

"Custody…what? I don't understand." Sirius stumbled through his words.

Harry took pity on the man. He had a feeling that Sirius didn't know that James Potter only adopted Harry and that Lily was pregnant with another man's child. He sighed and hoped the man still cared for him once he knew the truth. He wasn't there during the interrogation to hear that Sirius wouldn't care and Sirius forgot that there was even a question which should have planted the seed of doubt in his head.

"About ten years ago, mum took a trip to the states to get away from her then ex-boyfriend. They broke up and mum needed sometime to pull herself together. She met dad in a pub, drinking and one thing led to another." Harry said, "It was supposed to be a onetime thing, easily forgotten, but they ended up with a rather big souvenir. When mum went back to England, James won her back. He didn't care that she was pregnant and loved the child as if it was his own. He even adopted her baby."

"Wait," Sirius said, trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together but failing, "What are you trying to say?"

Dean took over, "What Harry is trying to say is that James Potter is not his biological father, I am."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Little Whinging, Surrey, England

Petunia Dursley was busy preparing for the arrival of her precious son, husband, and sister-in-law when the doorbell rang. It was just past two, and her boys weren't due back from the train station with Marge yet. She looked up towards the door and couldn't help but smile. While she hated being caught unaware with guests, it was only decent to call before visiting; she loved the attention being a hostess gave her. She rinsed her hands and wiped them on a towel before exchanging her apron for another that was both cleaner and prettier. As she walked through the hallway towards the door her heels echoed throughout the house. She loved the sound. Not only did it remind her of borrowing her mother's favorite heels as a child, but the sound reminded her that she was a grown woman. After a quick glance in the mirror where she straightened her apron and tamed her hair, she opened the door with a big welcoming smile on her face not knowing that her smile soon would be soon replaced by a sneer.

"May I help you?" she asked, wondering just who the person on her doorstep was

"Mrs. Dursley, I am Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and Transfiguration professor of Hogwarts. I am here to take your nephew to Diagon Alley for his school things."

Petunia pursed her lips, and changed her stance so that her…guest knew she was not allowed in her home. She looked around to see if any of the neighbors were looking, and was about to retort to the woman but just out of the corner of her eye spotted Mrs. Morgan stepping out of her front door. Without a moment's hesitation Petunia grabbed the older woman by the arm and pulled her into the house, slamming the door behind them. While Minerva was busy regaining her composure, Petunia was already busy peaking out the curtains to spot if anyone saw her. Much to her relief, she was the only housewife currently peaking out the curtains, spying on the neighbors.

"Mrs. Dursley," McGonagall said sternly, "I do not appreciate having my person manhandled by you or anyone else for that matter."

Petunia looked at the professor imperiously, but did not say a word. Annoyed by the muggle before her, Minerva silently counted to three before she hexed the infernal wretch. Deciding to ignore the Dursley woman's appalling manners she repeated her request. Hopefully the woman didn't impart her manners on James and Lily's son.

"You have no business here, freak!" Petunia spat, "I did away with that bastard child years ago, if only I could have done it sooner. I demand you leave my house at once before I call upon the constable and tell him that you're intruding on good normal people such as myself."

McGonagall stared at the muggle woman in shock, "Have you gone mad woman?" she demanded, "You've gotten rid of Harry Potter, your nephew? Have you no shame? He's an innocent child not a bastard and you just tossed him aside like an old newspaper?"

Petunia scoffed, "He's no family of mine, and I renounced Lily and her son before he was even born. Good riddance to bad rubbish I say!"

McGonagall pulled out her wand and fixed it in Petunia's direction making the sallow woman pale and clamp her lips tightly. She was terrified of the wand but would not take back what she said for anything in the world. She truly hated her sister and believed the devil spawn of hers was just as bad. Petunia gathered some of her courage and spoke once more.

"And he is a bastard, in every sense of the word. My perfect sister wasn't perfect at all. In fact the child she spawned wasn't even her husband's."

McGonagall frowned, "What do you mean muggle?" she asked, "Lily Potter only had the one son."

Petunia snorted, "And let me tell you how grateful I am of that fact. Being saddled with one of her little hellions after getting herself blown up was enough, if she had more I would have gone spare. No, that freak of hers was lucky that I kept him for as long as I did."

"Stop it with your riddles you old windbag and be straight with me. Where is Harry Potter?"

Petunia gave Minerva a sickly sweet smile, "Why with his father of course."

Minerva recoiled and her face turned white with anger. She was speechless and horrified that this vile creature was actually related to Lily Evans Potter of all people. She raised her wand as if to cast something at the woman but instead, changed her aim and sent a spell into the living room, blowing up the sofa and burning it to a crisp. Petunia shrieked in horror and stared at what was once her favorite room in the house. She was about to demand that Minerva leave her house but the transfiguration mistress was already out the door. After making sure no one was watching, Minerva raised her wand once more and cursed the woman's garden to always wilt. Charms weren't her fortitude, but she would have done her colleague, Filius Flitwick, proud. Even Pomona Sprout would have cheered her on despite the desecration of the helpless front lawn. Stalking towards the apparition point like a lioness on the prowl, she couldn't help but think that Albus Dumbledore had better run because the Lioness of Gryffindor was ready to rip into him for leaving Harry with that despicable excuse for a human being. She only hoped that what Petunia was implying was wrong because it would be a crime for the boy-who-lived to have become a boy who died.

_Sioux Falls, South Dakota_

Sirius Black had a mischievous grin on his face, one that would have most sane people running for the hills. As he crept up the stairs to his godson's room he was literally shaking in anticipation. Finally he made it quietly past the door and crept up to Harry's bed where he was sleeping peacefully. Sirius took a moment to relish in the moment. He was rarely able to sneak up on his godson because between Dean's over-protectiveness and Harry's amazing ability to sense his surroundings, he was often foiled. He swiftly pulled out his wand and had the spell on the tip of his tongue when he was ambushed from under the bed. AC and DC immediately tackled Sirius, seeing him as a threat to their slumbering master. Usually they snarled at the attacker and bared their teeth at them, but they knew Sirius was a friend so all they did was bark enough to wake their master and AC even went as far as to slobber all over the dog animagus.

"Oi!" Sirius exclaimed, "Gerrof me! This is bloody unfair!"

Harry was roused from his sleep and once he saw the situation his godfather was in he couldn't help but laugh. He had a feeling he knew why Sirius was in the position he was in, and believed that the man deserved it. Harry was all for having fun but pranking the unaware was just cruel. He let it go on for a minute or two before calling off the hounds. AC and DC immediately got off of the man-dog and rushed over to their master. Sirius got up, giving the dogs the stink eye muttering something about finally having Harry before being intercepted by the hounds of hell. Harry couldn't help but chuckle.

"Awww Uncle Siri, they're not that bad!"

Sirius scowled, "You try being tackled to the ground by them and being drowned in their slobber! They should be happy that I didn't curse them."

Harry rolled his eyes, but then got an amazing brainstorm. He pouted and turned his Sam taught puppy-dog eyes on Sirius, "You wouldn't really hurt them, would you?" he asked with just the right amount of pathetic.

Sirius cringed at the sight, unable to dissuade himself from feeling guilt. He knew Harry just did this to make him squirm but it worked every time. Sirius immediately apologized and promised to leave the dogs alone. He couldn't help but pout himself, especially at the loss of three pranking victims. It wasn't even past nine in the morning yet. As expected Harry immediately perked up and bounced out of bed. He pulled on a t-shirt and walked downstairs to the kitchen where he found breakfast waiting. After making sure it was edible and checking it for any traps, Harry wolfed it down. Sirius may have been a toddler trapped in a grown man's body but he was a very good cook. Apparently it was the one thing Sirius could do that James couldn't.

Harry heard a lot about his adoptive father over the past year, ever since that faithful day when Sirius revealed himself to the Winchesters and friend. Sirius hadn't reacted well to the fact that Lily cheated on his best friend, especially since her cheating got her knocked up. He didn't blame Harry or Dean at all; Dean was a fellow Casanova and Harry wasn't even in existence, but he couldn't help but be angry at the redhead. Whether or not James knew about the fact that Harry wasn't his biologically would forever be a mystery but Harry liked to think that his mother had been honest. After Dean forever altered Sirius's view of the world, the animagus at first denied it but once Harry and Dean finally convinced Sirius the escaped convict ran away. He stayed away for almost a week before deciding that it didn't matter who Harry's dad was because he was still his pup. Sirius had fallen in love with Harry as a child not because he was James' son but because the little waif was his godson, a child he was sworn to love, care for, and protect.

Sirius snapped out of his reminiscing by Harry snapping a wet towel in his face. His face was lit in amusement at the thought of his godfather going off with the fairies. He gestured for Sirius to dry the dishes and the duo cleaned up after both breakfast and last night's dinner. Once everything was spick and span Harry went to the telephone and dialed a very familiar number. It rang.

"You'd better be dying," his father's gruff voice sounded, sounding like he was half asleep.

"Rise and shine dad! It's a brand new day and you are wasting it away in bed." Harry chirped, winking at his godfather who couldn't help his amusement.

"Leave me alone," he groaned, "I was up half the night chasing after a damned spirit who's ambition in death was to piss me off!"

Harry snorted, "I hate to tell you this dad, but the world doesn't revolve around Dean Winchester."

Dean growled, "You little brat…"

Harry just laughed and handed the phone to Sirius. The animagus got the butt end of Dean's rant at his roguish son. "Whoa Dean," Sirius exclaimed, eyes wide, "I don't think that's even possible."

Dean grumbled again, "I'll make it possible," he insisted.

Sirius gave Harry a pitying look but instead of elaborating for his godson's sake, he continued his conversation with his friend. "So, when are you and your brother coming back?" he asked, and then lowering his voice asked, "Are you ready for his big day?"

Dean was silent for a minute before swearing. Sirius was almost tempted to cover his godson's innocent ears but instead kicked him out of the kitchen. Harry protested but one look from his godfather and the kid conceded. He decided that it was time to get dressed. Sirius watched Harry leave and was about to tell him to take a shower when he was distracted by a thump on the other side of the telephone call.

"Dean?" Sirius asked, "Are you alright, mate?"

Dean ignored Sirius, too intent of detangling himself from his covers. Somehow he got tangled up in the bed sheets and couldn't get out. When Sam woke up and saw his brother's predicament he laughed long and hard. Seeing that Dean was on the phone, he took it instead of helping Dean out.

"Hello?" Sam asked, still chuckling at Dean.

"Hey Sam," Sirius greeted, "Is Dean alright?"

Sam laughed, "He'll live. I take it you're wondering when to come get us."

Sirius rolled his eyes, "It's not like its Harry's birthday or anything important like that." He drawled sarcastically.

Sam swore, "That's today?" he asked, and at Sirius's confirmation started helping Dean, "Ummm give us an hour or two to get dressed and…yeah…"

Sirius scowled, "You forgot his birthday, didn't you? Both of you?" he asked.

Dean snatched the phone back since he was free, "We didn't forget anything, Sirius. I just wasn't expecting it to be the 31st already."

"Yes well you should probably get a move on because I told Harry that I'll be retrieving you both soon. He's excited to see you."

Dean sighed, rubbing his head, "I miss the brat too. I wish I didn't have to be away from him." He admitted.

Sirius scowled, "Then don't," he said, "Harry should be your priority…"

Dean grew pissed, "He always has been and always will be my first thought and priority. I changed my entire life for him and if he asked would do it again in a heartbeat. You know I'm only out here hunting again to keep Harry safe so why don't you just keep your gob shut."

The tension between the two was paramount before Sirius sighed and apologized. "It's just hard for me to watch him pining over you." Sirius explained, "The kid is as selfless as they come and I don't want him to suffer in silence anymore. I wish I could be enough, but no one could ever replace his dad." The last part was said grudgingly.

Dean smiled a bit, and asked Sirius to give them three hours. They still had to get ready for the day and pick up Harry's gift. Sirius agreed and after Dean gave him their location, they hung up. Dean knew that Harry's eleventh birthday was a big day for young wizards and wanted it to be special. He also wanted to make up for the sorry excuse of a party he had for his tenth. Millie had just died and none of them were up for much celebrating. In fact the only thing they did do to even acknowledge the day was to have a few cupcakes and Dean gave Harry his first hunting knife.

Once Sam and Dean got dressed they jumped into the Impala and down to Magic Alley, a place where Hadi told them was the largest magical shopping center on the entire continent. Sam still wasn't too keen on magic but at least he accepted it now. Dean was furious with his brother for treating Harry like a pariah when he told them just what he was and brought home a few truths to the middle Winchester. In short Sam realized how stupid he was being and apologized profusely to both his brother and nephew. He couldn't drop the years of brainwashing John gave him since he was a small child about magic like Dean did, but at least he was trying to.

Once the car was parked, Dean led his brother into the hidden shopping mall since he was the only one of them to have the special amulet which negated most if not all anti-muggle wards. Dean knew exactly where he was going, to the Magical Menagerie up on the second floor. There he was going to purchase their first family owl and something called a Spiritus Volutpat. The shop keeper had asked Dean for a sample of Harry's magical essence weeks ago and once the man figured out what that even meant he had it delivered. The shop keeper would do a ritual which would summon a creature compatible to the witch or wizard's magic. The creature wouldn't be the wizard's true familiar but it would be help and protect them from all harm. Dean felt it was the perfect present for his animal obsessed danger magnet.

In the end they walked out of the mall with two cages, bags of food, treats, and all sorts of accessories they didn't know that the animals needed. Dean only hoped that his son would appreciate his gesture because there was no way in hell that he would be going through that again, magic or no. Once they had everything, they drove back to their motel and checked out. They didn't give up the keys just yet, since Sirius was going to come get them from the room. When the dog animagus arrived, he quickly shrunk the Impala for easy transportation and apperated Sam and Dean to South Dakota where Harry was anxiously waiting for them. Luckily for them, the presents were hidden in Sirius' magically enlarged pockets so the surprise wasn't ruined yet.

"Happy Birthday my little magician," Dean said with a smirk, hugging the life out of his son.

Harry tried to hide his smile by scowling but Dean knew him too well, "Dad I'm not a baby anymore! Don't call me that!" he insisted.

Dean theatrically moaned in despair, "No," he cried out, "I cannot believe that my only son is old enough to protest my calling him my little magician. I should wallow in misery for a year and a day!"

Harry rolled his eyes, "Drama queen," he mumbled under his breath before walking away.

Dean watched his son with a fond smile and turned to his brother to say, "He's such a little snot isn't he?" he asked.

Sam just gave his brother an indulgent smile and went over to help Sirius decorate the house. They were throwing Harry a birthday party involving all of the preteen's friends from Salem's Preparatory Institute of Magic. In America, all first generation wizards, and those raised in the muggle world were required to spend a year catching up to those students who were raised in the wizarding world. There they learned all about Wizarding Traditions, some history, laws, and all about things most wizarding children took for granted like how to fly a broom and the basics in Potions. Harry's favorite part of the school was their creature's class. There he not only learned all about the different creatures they had in the wizarding world but he actually got to handle some of the more mild tempered ones. SPIM even informed the students about all the different magic schools and what they offered in courses. They strongly encouraged their sister school but didn't stop the students from looking in other directions. Sirius didn't know America offered such accommodations to the muggleborns, and muggle raised and wished that England wasn't so far behind.

By two o'clock Sirius, Dean, Harry and Sam were just about done setting up for the party when Harry spotted four owls heading in their direction. Since he was the only wizard in town, other than Sirius (not that anyone knew he was there) he knew the birds were meant for him. Two of the birds just dropped their parcels on the kitchen table before flying away, one practically collapsed after passing through the window, and the last regally sat on Sirius' arm, recognizing him as an adult wizard. Once the third bird safely made it to the table Harry quickly got it a bowl of water and a hotdog to feed it with. The bird ate and drank greedily but it was understandable considering the distance he had to travel. Once Harry was sure the owls were comfortable, he gathered the letters and examined them. The first letter was from The Magic School in Quebec and the second was from The Brazilian School of Magical Arts. Harry didn't even consider opening the letters, they were not his preferred. Sirius recognized the next letter and after many detection spells, he deemed it safe for Harry to open. It was from Hogwarts, in fact there were two of them, one addressed like the others to Harrison Winchester but the other was to Harry Potter. Harry opened both. There were no differences between the two letters except for his name so he binned Harry Potter's. The last owl was the one he anticipated the most. He reached for the letter, not even realizing his hands were shaking. Once the letter was revealed, he read it out loud.

"To Mr. Harrison Winchester," it read, "Salem's Institute of Magic and its headmistress Judith Sinclair are proud to offer you a place amongst the future alumni here. Our term begins on August 29th. If you deem to accept our invitation, we will send you your portkey which shall bring you to and from your home to the institute. Included in this missive is a pamphlet about the school. Please respond no later than August 1st as to whether or not you're attending. Respectfully, Andrew Keller, Senior Admissions Officer."

Harry took out a piece of pen and paper and immediately penned his acceptance. He was about to send it with the regal owl when Sirius stopped him.

"Are you sure you want to accept the invitation to Salem? What about Hogwarts?" he asked, gesturing to the letters on the table.

Harry sighed and looked at his dad as if Dean could get him out of the conversation, but Dean shook his head. Harry was not a child anymore, this was a big decision and he should be able to explain why he wanted to attend Salem over Hogwarts. Harry looked at Sam pleadingly but Sam was the master of the puppy-dog look and was the least likely to crumble in face of it.

"Well?" Sirius asked.

Harry winced, "It's not that I don't like Hogwarts, It's just that there everyone will be expecting Harry Potter and will only see my scar. I like being Harrison Winchester, a normal boy who is learning magic. Besides, Salem will let me come home after school and Hogwarts is a boarding school. I'd miss dad, you, Uncle Sam, and Uncle Bobby too much not to mention AC, DC…"

"Alright," Sirius interrupted, "I get it, but are you sure you don't want to think about this some more."

"I'm sure, Uncle Siri," he insisted, "Besides, most my friends will be going to Salem."

Sirius admitted defeat so Harry sent off the letter before the man could protest more. After the owl was out of site, Harry pulled out the pamphlet and started to read. He was curious about his new school. The more he read, the more sure he became about enrolling at Salem. Not only was the school not a boarding school but it was set up almost like a university. Apparently students could choose what classes they wanted each semester. Harry was almost tempted to pick his classes as soon as possible but something told him to hold off until his friends arrived. It was looking to be a promising day.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

_Parseltongue_

Keely Harris was excited. She had been invited to her friend Harry's birthday party and couldn't wait to go. She didn't have many friends, especially first generation pureblood friends, so this would be a once in a lifetime experience for her. Her entire family, spanning 27 generations were all purebloods and rarely ever ventured out into the mundane world. She was the first of their family to go to Salem's Preparatory School and therefore the first of them to have a first generation friend. Her grandfather didn't want her hanging around the "riffraff" but her parents told Keely to ignore the old man because he was just stubborn and set in his old archaic ways.

"Mom, can we leave now? I don't want to be late!" Keely cried up the stairs to her mother.

The girl was normally very shy and eager to please but when she set her mind to something she was worse than a mule. Her parents learned early on that if they wanted to avert a disaster, they'd have to either nip whatever had Keely so stubborn in the bud or generally go along with her. Savannah Harris just sighed and finished brushing her hair before going down the stairs to meet her impatient daughter. Keely was edgily pacing the hallway with the invitation/portkey in her hands. The small girl was quite pretty in her new short jean skirt and violet t-shirt; she had her mom's curly blonde hair and her dad's sky blue eyes. Savannah could tell that she would be a knockout in the future, just like every other witch in their family.

"Alright," Savannah said, "I'm coming! We still have plenty of time to be there."

Keely just scowled prettily at her mom, "But I promised Harry that I'd be the first person to arrive and I don't want to be a liar."

Savannah just rolled her eyes and grabbed the portkey before Keely activated it without her. After saying the password, Party, they were off.

Sirius watched as his godson looked out the window for the tenth time in five minutes. Usually the boy was very laid back but he seemed to be anxious. Sirius was already in his animagus form ready for the party, but he couldn't pass up asking Harry about his mood. He swiftly changed back, keeping an eye out for guests.

"What's has your dandruff up in an uproar?" he had to ask, giving Harry a roguish grin.

"Keely was supposed to be here by now," Harry absently told him before realizing what he had just said and to whom.

"Ah," Sirius couldn't help but grin, "A girl,"

Harry looked at Sirius in horror, "No way Uncle Siri! I am not discussing this with you."

Sirius sighed dramatically, "Well then maybe I should get your dad…"

"Not Dad either! I don't want to hear it. She's just a friend."

"Did I just hear what I thought I just heard?" Dean asked as he came out from the living room where he was putting up the balloons Sam just blew up.

"No," Harry said forcibly, "You heard nothing. I was just telling Sirius that he should already be in hiding."

"Is he worked up over a girl Sirius?" Dean asked his friend, ignoring Harry.

Sirius grinned, "Indeed he is, Dean."

Harry stared at them in disbelief, "Are you two really going to gang up on me today of all days?" he asked, not expecting an answer, "I'm only eleven!"

"Me thinks the lad doth protest too much," Sirius pointed out with a mischievous grin, "I think it's time we give the lad 'The Talk'."

Dean was about to reply but Sam interrupted before they could get too far much to his nephew's relief, "Me thinks it's time for you two to stop teasing Harry and for Sirius to do his party trick. The first guests have arrived."

Harry grinned at Sam in thanks before running to the window to see who had arrived. As expected it was Keely who looked to be almost as anxious as Harry felt. Sirius gave Dean one last knowing look before turning back into his form. Dean just followed his son over to the guests, ready for a day full of stress. He only hoped that Harry liked all his presents.

The backyard was packed with things to do ranging from a large bounce house to a piñata and plenty of games. Since this was Sirius' first birthday with Harry he decided to take the entire thing on his tab and go all out. If Harry had things his way, his friends wouldn't have been able to use everything Sirius procured but since Sam insisted that he invite his entire class there was more than enough for everyone. After an hour and a half of playing Dean pulled out the cake and everyone sang happy birthday to the birthday boy. After they ate the marble cake, Keely handed Harry his first present.

"What is it?" Harry asked, shaking the gift lightly as if to hear what it was.

Keely gave him a large grin, "Just open it silly," she insisted, "I'm not going to tell you!"

Harry pouted at his best friend playfully and took his time unwrapping the gift. It was a habit he had ever since he was small. After the Dursleys Harry still had a hard time accepting that he deserved the things a normal kid should have like presents for his birthday or even a hug from his dad. Dean watched his son half with sadness and half with satisfaction. He was just happy that his son was away from there. The feeling never got old. As he was unwrapping, Black got impatient and tried to egg Harry on, to make him unwrap faster. Unfortunately his actions only made Harry worse. He loved to torture his dogfather and annoying him with wrapping paper was quite fun. Once the present was unwrapped, Harry realized that it was a book. He was slightly disappointed until he spotted the title, _101 Spells a Young Wizard Should Know for School. _He grinned and hugged Keely tightly. Dean looked at his son as if the boy was crazy, but he didn't really understand the significance of the book. Sure the first chapter was all about spells handy for a school environment like a sharpening spell or a bookmarking spell but later on the book focused solely on prank spells and how to get away with them. There was even a spell which removed the underage tracking spell which was so commonly used in Europe.

Harry couldn't wait to open his next present which ranged from posters from his favorite sports teams, magical and mundane from the classmates he wasn't that close to, to a magically altered pocket knife and lock pick from Sirius. Apparently the animagus expected Harry to get into mischief. The final gift he opened was the one from his Uncle Sam and dad. The packages were tiny, mere envelopes really, but once he opened their contents and read the clues within he became speechless. He immediately ran into his bedroom with half his guests on his tail and spotted the beautiful owl and the magical feathered serpent sitting in their cages on his desk. He first went to the owl, and pulled her out of the cage. She barked gratefully at him and stretched her wings.

Harry chuckled, "I'm going to call you Hedwig after the patron saint of Queens because your deserve to be called royalty."

The owl preened and looked at Dean as if to say that that was how you treat a lady. Harry passed Hedwig off to Keely and walked over to the magical serpent that seemed to be bathing in the sunlight.

"Dad, why would you get me a snake?" Harry asked, looking at the rainbow feathered serpent in awe.

"It's a Spirit Vollpat…"

"Spiritus Volutpat," Sam corrected, interjected.

Dean glared at Sam for interrupting as he continued, "Well whatever the thing's called, it's supposed to protect you. I can't really be there for you in magic school so I figured that I'd have to do something about that."

Harry gave his dad an exasperated look, but internally understood that as a hunter and as a father, sending Harry off to the magical world on his own was going against everything within him. For Dean, family came first and not being able to protect those in his charge probably killed him.

The snake kept sighing contently, making Harry chuckle. It opened his one eye and stuck out its tongue not even bothering to dignify Harry with a response. Harry rolled his eyes, having the feeling that his new pet would be a handful, and stuck his hand in the cage to lift the snake up but the creature moved away.

_Hey! Watch it! _The snake hissed angrily, _I may be your Guardian but I refuse to be manhandled!_

Harry smirked at his snake and softly whispered, _Why would I want to manhandle a beautiful creature such as you?_

The snake seemed to pause and stare at Harry for a while before he spoke. _You speak then,_ the serpent said, calmer, _At least I won't have to worry about miscommunication._

Harry looked at the colorful snake in wonder, _How is it you speak so well? I have met others of your kind and the best they can do is tell me if they're hungry or scared._

If the snake could grin, he would be. _I am here to protect you and how would I do that if my intelligence was that of a mere garden snake? I was created by magic after all._

Harry rolled his eyes, already dreading the snake's sardonic sense of humor. He was just glad that Sirius didn't speak parseltongue because they'd probably gang up on him. He thanked his dad half seriously and half sarcastically, but luckily Dean didn't catch that. Harry was beyond grateful that his dad got the serpent for him, after all, not many knew but, Dean hated snakes. He gave his dad a big hug.

The rest of his presents almost seemed trivial next to what his dad got him, but Harry treasured each and every one of them. When he finally opened his last present, a book on Quiditch, most parents announced that it was time to go.

When Harry's class slash party guests went home after a long but fun-filled day, Keely found herself invited over for a sleepover. At first her mother was reluctant, after all she was a ten almost eleven year old girl alone in a house full of men, but once Dean and Sam swore that they'd make sure she would be alright, Savannah couldn't help but agree. Not many women stood a chance between Dean's charismatic smirk and Sam's soulful brown eyes. Keely and Harry wanted to spend the whole night playing but they found themselves asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillows set up in the living room. Dean carefully carried Harry to bed while Sirius tucked Keely in the guest room. When Harry Winchester woke up in the morning, he was only ten but now past midnight Greenwich Mean Time, he was eleven at last.

Albus Dumbledore was a weary old man. He did what he felt was for the greater good but when looking into the forest he stopped being able to see the individual trees. He had thought that Petunia Dursley would have kept her nephew safe. The boy was, after all, the only thing left of Lily, her sister. He had hoped that the innocent child would make the only living Evans overcome her spite, but it seemed as if he had too much faith in the bitter woman.

When Minerva had told him that Harry Potter was not with his aunt, Albus hoped that the woman was playing a cruel prank. Nothing prepared him for the fact that the boy really was gone, and what was worse was that the boy had been gone for years before he even noticed. He was supposed to check on the lad many times, just to make sure he was okay but he kept putting it off. 'The risk of Harry being found is too great,' he thought, 'Best wait until the Death Eaters have stopped looking for him.'

His deepest regret was not only leaving Harry with a woman who wouldn't think twice in throwing him away but that he hadn't listened to those around him, including the lad's parents, when they said the woman was rotten to the core.

Harry was alive, his instruments told him that much at least. If only he had the forethought of putting a trace on the child to find him like he did the spell to know if Harry was alive or not. Alas it was no use crying over spilt potion he supposed, after all he had a boy to find. Looking at his most staunch allies he couldn't help but feel as if he had let them down. Harry Potter, even if only a child, was still their prophesized savior. Without him, hope was lost. Without the boy-who-lived, Voldemort had won.

Severus Snape watched the clock, counting down the minutes until his best friend's son turned eleven. He had a portrait of Lily and her son in his left hand and a bottle of whisky in his right. As he took a sip he pondered on how the boy had grown up. Was he more like Lily? James? Was he like his biological father? Severus was probably the only magical person in England who knew the truth about Harry Potter, or rather Harry Winchester. He hoped that the boy's father helped the boy grow up into the person Lily always had dreamed he would be. Taking another sip, he thought back to how he was drafted into finding the boy. He couldn't help but smirk, why would he want to find Harry when he already knew where he was? After all if it weren't for Severus the lawyer would have never located Dean Winchester and the boy would have never gone to his biological father. If it weren't for Severus the boy would continue on thinking that he was the son of James bloody Potter. Toasting towards the sky he congratulated himself for not only keeping Albus Dumbledore in the dark, or uniting a father with his child, but for finally getting one over on James Potter.

"Serves you right, Potter," Snape snarled, "You may have gotten my Lily but you can never claim her son!"

Dean watched as the moonlight revealed his sleeping son. Turning eleven was supposed to be a great milestone in magic culture, but Dean couldn't help but still see the small vulnerable boy who had come to him all those years ago. Harry was growing up and Dean didn't like it one bit. His son was going places Dean couldn't follow, walking on a path created solely for him. He didn't want to lose his son, not now, not ever. He knew that they were each part of a separate world but he would rather be damned than loose Harry. Sighing, he stood up and kissed his son gently on the forehead. If he wanted to keep Harry he had a lot of work to do and only so much time to do it in. Giving the serpent a sharp glance, he couldn't help but ask the creature to keep his son safe. As he turned and walked away he didn't notice the snake open his eyes and nod.

_Don't worry, _the snake hissed, _I'll keep your boy safe. You can count on me._


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Harry woke up the next morning with the sun shining right in his eyes. He groaned at the injustice and tried to hide his face but it seemed as if someone had it in for him. Not only was he completely uncovered but his pillow seemed to have disappeared over the course of the night, and AC seemed to find it comfortable to lie on his bladder. He tried to resist the tightness in his stomach so he could sleep longer, but nature was calling insistently. Finally with an unhappy grunt Harry pushed the dog off of his lap and practically stomped to the bathroom where he took care of his usual morning ritual. He considered going back to sleep but hearing the banging of pots and pans, Sirius was up already and there was no telling what kind of mess he would make. Looking up to the heavens Harry mentally wondered what he had done to deserve the torture of being woken up at nine in the morning on the day after his birthday. His dad, in the door frame, seemed to have developed a telepathic ability because he actually responded to Harry's question.

"You have a long day ahead of you, kiddo. Between picking your classes and buying your supplies at The Mall of Magia, 12 hours is barely enough time to do it all."

Harry scowled at his dad, "It seems like more than enough time to me," he said, fixing his bed.

Dean mischievously smirked and tackled Harry onto his bed messing it up again. "Don't be such a downer."

Harry glared at his dad playfully, "I'm not a downer dad! That's Uncle Sam's job," he exclaimed and he pulled out a specially planted water balloon for circumstances of this kind. Once Dean was drenched in water Harry quickly made his way out the door.

Dean stared at his son in shock, wondering if it really was a good idea to leave Sirius and Harry alone. Sure it kept Sirius from getting into trouble and Harry from living in motels, but it seemed to also promote his son's mischief. It took him a lot to allow his son to stay with someone not himself. Hell Dean was against hunting at all again after Millie's death. He could care less what his dad got into; after all if Dean weren't looking for the man he could have protected his late fiancée and his son. Unfortunately for him, Sam brought out his soulful eyes and guilted Dean into hunting again.

When the young father finally caught up to his son, he grabbed the boy in a headlock, and got him all wet. "What's made you as smug and a bug in a rug?" Dean asked, ruffling Harry's already messy hair.

Harry scowled at the mess and gave his dad a glare, "I just got dressed and brushed my hair, dad." He said, ignoring his father's question.

"Really?" Dean asked, "I don't see a difference in that mop of your and I thought the wet look was in."

"You must be blind then," Harry said, grabbing a piece of toast from Sam's plate and stuffing it in his mouth.

"Hey!" his uncle cried, "That was my breakfast. Dean has your stuff by the stove."

Harry gave Sam a sheepish grin and after wiggling out from his dad's grasp, went over to the counter to get both his food. Sirius was still in dog form, sleeping on AC's dog bed. There were times when the animagus preferred to be dog more than man and usually that was whenever Dean was home. Sirius loved Harry and thought that Dean was the best thing to happen to the boy in a long time but sometimes he grew nostalgic and hated participating in what he deemed James' scene. He didn't want his dead friend to be mad with him in the afterlife. Once Keely came via portkey again, an owl winged through the window and dropped a letter in front of Dean. Looking at the piece of paper suspiciously, Dean carefully opened the letter up as if waiting for it to explode. He remembered the last letter he got; Harry and Sirius pranked him by sending him a howler. He read through it and looked at the letter in confusion.

"This isn't for me," he stated, "Its Keely's."

Keely frowned, "Why would I be getting mail here?"

Dean shrugged and gave the girl her letter. She looked at it in confusion and then understanding. She explained to them that her mother sent her letter to Salem to Dean most likely because she didn't trust Keely not to lose it.

Smiling sheepishly, Keely said, "It's happened before!"

Harry just snickered at his friend as Sam yanked the papers out of her hands, rifled through them and handed her the class selection form. "I'll just keep this on me while you and Harry choose your classes," he said.

Dean looked at Sam in disbelief, "Dude, it Keely's letter!" he said.

Sam just gave his older a long suffering look as if wondering how the elder man could be a father as naive as he was and did not dignify him with a response. Harry was watched them anxiously, wondering what his dad and uncle would do next as Keely started reading through her class choices. She was used to it.

"How are the kids ever going to feel as if we trust them if we never give them something to be responsible with?" Dean asked, making a good point.

Sam took a good minute to respond and even then it was a pretty weak excuse, "You show your trust by letting them go to school…"

Dean just scoffed at his brother and snatched the letter back for Keely. He put it on the kitchen table and asked her if she wanted to hold onto it. Feeling overwhelmed with the amount of trust Dean was putting in her, she did not want to disappoint him so she asked if he could keep it. Harry beamed at his dad, knowing that he was one of a kind. The new students of Salem's Institute of Magic went to picking their classes.

"Oh look!" Keely exclaimed, "They have Technomagic! It's supposedly only been around for 50 years and has been taught in schools for 5. We should take that class! It says here that the professor teaches the class how to make magically compatible electronics and that it teaches how to use new technologies which combine mundane with magical."

Harry read through the description, "I wonder if they have magical weapons like guns covered in that class," he said.

"Weapons?" Keely asked aghast, "Why would you even be thinking about weapons of all things?"

Harry stared at her like a deer caught in the headlights, and Dean quickly intervened, "You know boys and guns," he said, wondering if the excuse would work on younger girls as well as it did with women or even teenage girls, "But it's a good question Harry, you should ask."

Harry quietly nodded and consumed himself with reading about the classes. In the end, Harry and Keely had decided on taking almost all the same courses; Charms, Magical Zoology, Magical and Mundane Transportation, Latin 1, Technomagic, Math, English, Biology 1, and Art Studio. Harry was obligated to take Magic Studies while Keely, as a pureblood, had to take Mundane Studies. It seemed like a large course load but apparently around 10 classes was average for each student. The school had a rotating schedule. They assigned a letter to each of their classes and kept cycling them so that there'd be 6 classes a day On Monday, for example, it would be classes A, B, C, D, E, & F while on the next day it would start with G, H and so on. Harry thought the scheduling must have been a nightmare, but apparently since their supply list appeared, everything was fine.

Once they had their lists they decided that it was time to buy everything. Harry was excited; shopping for school supplies was a guilty pleasure of his. He heckled Sam into joining them, and they were off. The Magia Mall was full of people, young and old. Sam didn't have the amulet he had to depend on his brother, Harry and Keely leading him inside.

"You better not be leading me into trouble, Dean Winchester!" Sam threatened, feeling more irritable the further into the wards he went.

Harry rolled his eyes and gave his uncle a look, "We're going shopping Uncle Sam," he said, "How much trouble could we get into?"

Keely quickly spit on wood, spun around in a circle three times and stomped her feet making Harry, Dean, and Sam stare at her as if she grew another head. She awkwardly shrugged and told them that her family was a little superstitious. Apparently one of her ancestors had been a seer and instilled the practice unto her descendants.

"And it works," Keely said, "We haven't had any bad luck since."

Sam seemed a little skeptical but Harry was open for anything. After all if magic was real, not to mention all the monsters under the bed including ghosts and demons why couldn't superstitions be true?

When they finally entered the mall, Keely and Harry couldn't help but stare in awe. For Harry, Dean had never really taken him into the wizarding world, preferring to keep his son out of the spotlight. For Keely, her family usually went to New Orleans for their supplies; apparently the goods there were cheaper. The Mall was huge, almost 5 stories tall and each floor was packed with all sorts of creatures ranging from the expected witches and wizards to vampires, house elves, and even centaurs and giants. It took all of the hunter's restraint not to cave into their instincts that had been ingrained into them their entire lives. Looking around Harry spotted all sorts of shops like an apothecary for potions, a magical pharmacy, a small food market, clothing shops and specialty book stores. He couldn't wait to see the Technomacy shop and hoped that his dad would let him check out the pet shop before the day was over. The small group spotted Keely's parents waiting for them in the small café off to the side of the entrance.

Once they all joined up, their first stop was the wand shop located on the third floor. Apparently it was an Ollivander Shop, one run by the man's niece. Sirius swore up and down that the man was probably the best wandmaker in the world and that he and his employees were bound to a secrecy contract with their customer as soon as the client entered the shop.

The store was bright and cheerful. There was a vase of flowers on the counter and everything looked as if it were just cleaned. A woman was sitting in the couches set in the front of the shop, apparently there for the trickier customer's family. She stood up and gave them a smirk, looking at Sam and Dean appreciatively. Harry just rolled his eyes at the younger woman's reaction. It seemed that he couldn't take Sam or his dad anywhere without them being hit on at least once. As she flirted with his uncle and father, Keely and Harry took the time to look at the wands which unlike in the original shop, were all on display. Keely found herself particularly entranced by a white wand made of Ash. The granddaughter appeared behind Keely, looking at the wand quite sagely.

"Ah, so it seems as if this wand had chosen you, Miss. Jones; 10 inches long with Ash wood and a dragon heartstring core, nice and spry. I believe the core is from a particularly playful Norwegian Ridgeback."

Keely took the wand delicately and held it in her hand. Comforting warmth engulfed her and made her feel rather cheerful. She gave her friend a smug grin and quickly showed her parents what she felt was the coolest wand in the store. Harry smiled at his friend and ventured deeper into the store. He finally came across a Holly wand, apparently one with a phoenix feather core and while it did seem ok, it just wasn't the one.

"Oh! I haven't had a tricky customer like you in years. Not one wand works for you in my shop and I doubt any would work for you in grandfather's. Stay here while I get him, I believe that its time someone had a custom-made wand."

The woman disappeared and soon returned with an older man. The man was creepy looking and seemed to have an aura of power. Dean stiffened and couldn't help but grab at his knife in his pants.

"What are you?" Dean demanded, much to the group's surprise.

"Ah," Ollivander said smirking, "Dean Winchester and his brother Sam, what a surprise. I never thought that I'd meet you."

"Answer my brother," Sam snarled, "What are you?"

"Dean!" Savannah cried, "That's Mr. Ollivander! What are you doing?"

"That's alright Mrs. Jones," Ollivander said, "I am not insulted, merely amused. Did you know that you're probably the first in 2 hundred years to recognize me as something other than human? I find it funny that it was two mundane hunters rather than a witch or wizard who discovered my identity.

"I am the Norse Pagan God Loki," he said, taking an intricate bow and revealing his real looks.

While Ollivander was typically seen as an aged frail old man, his true visage was of a blonde 30 year old man. He smirked at them, popping some M&Ms in his mouth.

Sam stared at Loki in shock, still not used to seeing magic in action. Dean pulled out his Colt 1911 gun and aimed it at the shifter. He pulled Harry behind him and made sure that Keely and her mom were safe but they were already out the door.

"What do you want?" Dean demanded coldly.

Loki just shrugged innocently, "I'm not sure what you mean Dean Winchester. I'm but a simple wandmaker."

Dean scoffed, "And I'm the Easter Bunny," he drawled sarcastically.

"No, really," Loki said, "I don't really want to do anything but craft your son a wand. He's a legend you know.

"I'm not like my fellow gods," he continued, "I don't really mind that humans stopped worshiping me and am happy working on my wands."

Dean looked at him skeptically before slightly lowering his gun. He warned the god not to do anything funny unless he wanted one more hole in his head before allowing Harry to go to Loki. Harry looked at the creature in fascination. He had never met one of the creatures his dad hunted and was intrigued by his presence. It was one thing to see a picture of the supernatural but an entirely different thing to see one in real life.

"It's an honor to meet you," Loki said with a slight bow, "You're practically a deity in the wizarding world you know. Wizards and witches practically worship you and everyone knows your name…well your other name that is. I can help you achieve that status if you would like."

Harry blushed, "I think I'm good for now, thanks." He mumbled.

Loki just nodded, "As you wish," he said, "But if you ever change your mind…"

"I'll come and find you, I swear. Now can you please help me with my wand?" Harry pleaded.

"Right," Loki said, "Now, I'm going to pull out the items I use in wand crafting to see which one suits you the best."

He took a long look at the cores before looking at Harry. After a moment of looking surprised, Loki pulled out a long white feather and set it aside before pulling out the woods he used for the shaft. Harry just stood there awkwardly until Loki pulled out a light small log. Finally he pulled out a box of gemstones and pulled out a beautiful gem which seemed almost man-made. Harry looked to Loki anxiously, wondering what would be made into his wand.

"It'll take me at least 30 hours to make your wand so I would appreciate it if you came to pick it up in 2 days time." Loki said, his mind spinning with the possibilities of this wand and its materials.

"What…" Harry cleared his throat, "What will you use to make my wand?"

Loki smiled mysteriously, "Well your wand will be formed out of Cypress wood, about 12 ½ inches long. Cypress is a wood specifically associated with Hades. It means that you understand the role of sacrifice. Traditionally it is linked with mourning and grief but it also has to do with immortality. Now your core is a feather, angel feather to be exact. An angel is looking out for you and by giving you their feather they are telling you that you're safe and protected. They are also symbols of strength and hope. Lastly is the Orbicular Jasper, commonly referred to as Ocean Jasper. It is a rare gemstone found in a remote location on the coast of Madagascar. It gently brings focus to the positive things in life and lifts the negativity. All in all this will be a very powerful wand."

"Angels don't exist Loki," Dean scoffed.

Loki looked annoyed for a moment before amusement took over, "You're a hunter and you don't believe in angels."

Dean rolled his eyes, "I believe in what I've seen and what's documented." He said.

Sam stifled a chuckle, "But angels are documented big brother."

Dean rolled his eyes, "In religious texts. I don't believe in religion."

"But Dad," Harry interrupted, "Demons exist, why can't angels?"

Dean couldn't answer that. He quickly paid the god's niece and dragged his son and brother out of the shop. Harry looked back at Loki and watched as the god disappeared from the shop without any pomp and circumstance.

Their next stop was the book shop where they found Keely and her mom waiting for them. Apparently Savannah was all for going home but Keely convinced her mom to get an explanation about what had happened before cutting off all contact between them. Dean didn't like telling everyone under the sun about what he was, especially since it seemed that Hunters were the wizarding world's version of the boogey man but he had no other choice. He told Savannah and Keely all about how hunting was the family business and that they tried not to hunt anything that didn't harm humans in the first place. Luckily the Jones family wasn't a family that put any stock into hunters are monsters hype which was strange to Harry considering their superstition beliefs but to each their own. In the end Savannah understood and allowed Keely to remain friends with Harry not that she had a choice. Keely would have stayed friends with him regardless. The adults decided to go back to the coffee shop which Harry and Keely shopped for books. Both of them adored reading so Dean and Savannah knew they'd be a while. Sam decided to stay and pick out some books to learn more about his nephew's world and perhaps find some books that would help them with hunting.

It took them over three hours to buy all of their school books as well as a lot of extras. Keely had a limit imposed upon her by her mother but since Harry had Sam on his side, he was able to pick out as many as he wanted. Luckily Dean's job as a firefighter paid well. He bought books on every field of magic like potions and transfiguration not to mention at least a dozen books alone on magical creatures alone. When he found out that dragon actually existed, his eyes almost popped out of his skull. He had loved the large reptilian animals since he first heard about them in kindergarten and was so disappointed when he learned they weren't real. Luckily for him it seemed that his teacher didn't know any better.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

When they met Dean at the coffee shop Savannah had to shrink all the books and Sam quickly ran them all to the car. Their next stop was the magical luggage shop where there was a vampire merchant. The students purchased two bags which were spelled for comfort and space. Keely's was orange with black stripes while Harry chose a greenish blue one. Dean also bought himself a suitcase which was larger on the inside than he'd have thought possible. It would be nice to be able to pack more than the absolute necessities. Living in one place spoiled him and he preferred having a larger selection of clothes than what he used to. He also picked up 2 bags which disguised the contents. It would be great to have if the police ever caught up to them.

The robe shop was not very different from regular mundane shops. The traditional wizard wear was all along the back but unlike in England, American robes were a lot more modern than not. There were robes with ¾ sleeves, with purposeful rips, and band robes. The robes even had some with slogans on them or fun pictures. Of course Harry and Dean didn't know the difference and wouldn't until Sirius told them once they got home. Since Salem didn't have a dress code except for robes so Keely and Harry had fun choosing all different kinds of them. They even got to choose some t-shirts, pants and shoes which were unique to the wizarding world. Keely was a huge fan of a wizarding band called the Wandering Warlocks and bought at least three different shirts and hoodies featuring them. Harry was so excited about his dragon t-shirt that he didn't even wait for his dad to pay for it before he put it on.

The stationary shop was on the fifth floor so they trekked there next. There were regular pens and pencil along with fancy books of blank paper but they cost ten times more than what they did in the mundane world. Dean asked the shopkeeper if there was anything special about the writing utensils and with the reply negative, Dean told Harry that they were going to the Office supply shop. Keely overheard Dean and asked her mom if she could do the same. She saw Harry's notebooks from mundane school and adored the designs on the notebooks and the multi-colored pens and pencils. They left.

Their final stop was the Technomacy shop where Dean bought four cell phones for himself his brother, Sirius and his son, as well as a laptop, and an MP3 player for Harry. The phones were untraceable by the mundane authorities and were indestructible. Dean could not remember how many phones he had to replace because something went wrong on a hunt or because the wrong people got a hold of his number. The phones also worked everywhere and had internet. The laptop was special because it never ran out of battery life and connected to the internet from anywhere. Sam liked Harry's laptop so much he even bought one for himself.

Contrary to what Harry had thought, they got home around dinner time. Harry invited Keely and her mom for dinner, he was the one cooking it, but they had other plans. The rest of the day was spent with Harry telling Sirius all about his day and showing off his new school things. Harry was disappointed that he couldn't show off his wand yet but told Sirius all about it, especially since it was custom made. When Harry finally made it to bed it was past midnight. His head hit the pillows and it was lights out.

The next morning Harry woke up only to find that his father and uncle left sometime during the night. Dejectedly he found his way into the kitchen and poured himself a bowl of cereal. Sirius joined him soon after and almost immediately pocked up on his godson's disappointment. He sighed, sat down next to Harry, and put his hand on the boy's shoulder comfortingly.

"Caleb called last night right after you fell asleep. Apparently there's a muggle werewolf running around killing people and they have to stop it." Sirius explained.

"Do you know when they'll be coming back? Harry asked, biting his lip nervously.

Sirius shrugged, "The full moon is in two days and I'm assuming that they'll want to take it out then. Hopefully they'll be back by the weekend."

Harry frowned, "But my wand…" he said sadly.

Sirius winced. He knew how important a wand was to a wizard and felt bad that the young boy had been separated from his. Waiting more than 2 days would drive Harry crazy with anticipation and longing.

"I don't think that Dean will be back in time but if you'd like I can brush off the disguise your uncle made for me and take you myself." Sirius offered eager to help his godson and leave the confines of the house.

"But…"

"I'll even shift into Black when we hit the mall and wait outside."

Harry smiled at his godfather slightly, "That's nice of you to offer but I think I'm going to wait for my dad. I don't want to risk you getting caught."

Sirius groaned, "I never get to have any fun!" he whined, and despite Harry thinking that the man was being playful, he was dead serious, "I remember when I was in school your dad…I mean James and I used to sneak out of bounds all the time to hang out with Moony during the full moon.

"It's too bad muggle werewolves are so different from their magical counterparts because there are all sorts of measures they could take before killing even becomes an option."

Harry rolled his eyes. The first time Sirius heard that Dean and Sam hunted werewolves he went ballistic. It took the combined effort of Dean, Sam, Harry, and Bobby to explain that there was no other option but to kill the werewolf if it was a mundane one. He always brought up Remus Lupin as an example of a civilized werewolf and didn't seem to comprehend that not all werewolves were as docile as his best friend. Once it finally got through to him, he tried to find other ways to help the turned people as a tribute to his best friend, but in the end accepted the inevitable.

Not only was Sirius stuck in the past but he also tended to imply that Harry was a Potter rather than a Winchester. He always made small references about James Potter being his dad and how Dean just supplied the spunk. Harry, at first, was persistent in correcting the dog animagus but after a talk with his dad stopped. Dean explained how Sirius missed his best friend and still hadn't properly grieved. As a firefighter he met a lot of guilt ridden people who were afraid of letting go and saw Sirius as one of them. It still upset Harry, but not as much once he learned that his dad took what his dogfather said with a grain of salt.

"They didn't want to leave, especially since they couldn't say bye, but the full moon is soon and they had no other chances to go without risking other lives." Sirius said, not noticing his godson's inner turmoil, "At least we get to spend more time together without your dad butting in! It'll be just like when Prongs was alive except you're here and not him…"

Harry shrugged off Sirius' hand, suddenly mad at the man. Sirius was a nice man, and seemed to love Harry very much but the way the man kept undermining Dean mad Harry very angry. If it were possible Sirius probably would have taken Harry away from Dean as soon as he found them. Luckily Sirius was on the run and needed them in order to keep up his hiding place.

Harry stormed out of the kitchen after finished up his food, and went outside to go on a walk with AC and DC. He walked for hours until he found himself at Bobby's. Sighing, he knew that he should probably go inside to make sure everyone knew he was alright. Knowing Sirius the man probably panicked after an hour and had already called Bobby and his dad. He entered the kitchen just as Bobby was talking on the phone to Dean.

"…ran off." He was saying before he caught a glimpse of the boy, "Never mind, I got him. Harry just walked inside with those two lovable mutts of his. Could you call Sirius and tell him to stay put? The last thing we need is for the man to start exposing himself incriminating us all."

Bobby listened for a moment before grinning, "I know you told us, Dean." Bobby said rolling his eyes, "It figures that any son of your would cause a panic." Bobby just sighed and handed Harry the phone.

"Dad?" Harry asked sheepishly, "I didn't mean to worry anyone, I just…"

"You just needed your space," Dean concluded, "Nah, that's alright. Just make sure you take your phone with you next time. Your dogfather's probably going to read you the riot act so I'm just gonna ask you to be safe about your walks. Can I ask why you went?"

Harry sighed and walked out of the room so Bobby wouldn't hear, "I was upset," Harry admitted, "Between you leaving, finding out I won't be able to get my wand when expected, and Sirius harping about the usual…I'm sorry."

"I know its tough Harry," Dean said, "But Sirius is a decent man. From the little I remember about your mom she would have never allowed him to be your godfather if she thought he'd be wrong for the job. He's just a little messed up after prison and misses your step-dad a lot. He's never really had a chance to get any closure and in a way I'm sure he still feels that James is alive."

"Why? Isn't it enough that we tell him James is dead?" Harry demanded, "I hate listening to Siri talk about Prongs all the time. You're my dad, he's not!"

"Harry,"

"No, I won't let Sirius take me away from you! You saved me from the Dursleys when I was little and you raised me. What did James ever do for me?" Harry asked emotionally.

Dean only took a second to decide and soon enough he took a portkey which was tuned to his son's magical signature to get to the youth's side. Immediately he embraced the boy, allowing him to sob out all his fears, worries, and sadness. Harry didn't care how his father got to him so fast, only that he was there. He cried against his father for the better part of an hour.

Dean was both worried and relieved. Ever since Millie died and Sirius came into their lives Harry kept everything bottled up. He was trying to be strong for his dad but he was just a child. Sam tried to get the boy to open up but if anything Harry inherited the Winchester stubbornness. This breakdown was a long time in coming. Harry was painstakingly loyal to his dad and any word against the man met his wrath. With Sirius always praising James it seemed to escalate too far. Dean sighed and looked at his brokenhearted little boy. Maybe hunting wasn't something he should do until Harry was old enough to take care of himself. Sirius was supposed to be taking care of Harry but it seemed that this arrangement did more harm than good.

"Maybe I should stop hunting again," Dean suggested casually, "And take care of you again."

Harry looked up at his dad in shock, "No! You love hunting! I'm fine here, promise!" he exclaimed wiping away his treacherous tears.

Dean sighed, "You will always be my first priority Harry," he insisted, "And I could never hunt another day in my life as long as you were safe and happy. This situation is not making you safe or happy at all."

"I'm sorry I walked off without my cell phone and I'll try to make things work with Sirius. I don't want you to sacrifice anything else for me."

Dean looked at Harry and knelt down so that he was looking up at the kid, "I love you kid. If I had to sacrifice pie for you I would. Do you think hunting would be any different? I wanted to raise you and I wanted to keep away from my dad. I wanted you to have a better life than I did."

Harry shook his head, "Not that," he practically whispered, "I mean… Millie."

It hit Dean like a bludger to the stomach, "Harry," he said, "What happened to Mille wasn't your fault."

No wonder the poor boy was eager for Dean to go out there and hunt. He felt guilty about what had happened to Millie. Not only that but subconsciously he was definitely trying to punish himself as well as keep Dean safe. Dean didn't know how to get through to his son that he was not the reason Millie died.

"But if I wasn't there the yellow-eyed man would have never come after her. She protected me from him and died because of it just like mom. He spoke to me, you know."

"What did he say?" Dean asked, frowning.

"He told me that I was special, even more special than Uncle Sam. After Millie was pinned to the ceiling he grabbed and forced me to drink his blood. It was horrible. I felt sick and cold. I passed out and the next thing I knew, Siri was pulling me out of the house."

Dean crushed Harry to him, holding him as if he were afraid to let go. Once he finally released the boy he immediately called Sam.

"Dean?" Sam demanded, "Where the hell are you? I left to buy lunch and when I came back, you weren't there. Not only was our room closed but the second key was still on the TV stand. Did you lock yourself out?"

"Do you know why the demon who was at my house that night told Harry that you were special?" he demanded.

Sam paused, "Wait, what?"

"The demon told Harry you were special and that my son was even more so. He made my son drink his blood. Do you know why?"

Sam shook his head, forgetting that Dean couldn't see him, "I don't know anything about that, Dean. You have to believe me!"

Dean sighed, "I believe you. I'll call you back in a bit. I'm going to try dad."

He hung up and dialed his father's phone number but got voicemail once again, "Damn it dad this isn't the time for your stupid games! What do you know about Sam and that night mom died? You have to tell me because my son got involved. That bastard that killed mom and Millie went after Harry and if you don't tell me everything you know I will track you down just to shoot you. Do this for Harry, please!" He hung up, more strung out than ever.

Dean and Harry drove back home in one of Bobby's many cars. They pulled up the driveway and almost immediately did Sirius as Black pounce on Harry as he opened the door. The animagus was lecturing Harry about his little stunt but unfortunately no one understood what he was saying because he was barking. Harry found it amusing so he just let Sirius get it out of his system, nodding whenever the man-dog paused and looked at him pointedly. There were a few times when Sirius looked at him strangely as if he expected a different answer but the man-dog continued. When he was finally done Dean couldn't help but laugh at his friend.

"You do realize that you're a dog right now, right? We don't understand a word you're saying." He said, with a broad smile.

Black blinked and then if her were human would have blushed in mortification. He ran back to the house with his tail between his legs. Harry finally released his laughter and his dad just hugged him tight, glad the boy was still able to laugh. They went inside where Dean pulled out a package of hotdogs and heated them in the microwave for lunch.

"Are you going to go back?" Harry asked after lunch, quietly.

Dean nodded, "I started this hunt and I have to finish it. The town is in danger and we only have this one chance to find the damned were. I'll come home directly afterwards though."

Harry shook his head, "It's okay dad," he said, "You need to help people, protect them from the things that go bump in the night. I'll be okay. Besides school is starting soon…"

Dean looked at Harry and gave him a proud look, "You're a great kid Harry," he said, "I don't know what I did to deserve you."

"Dad…"

"But you're probably the most self-sacrificing person I know!" Dean concluded, "How many times must I tell you that YOU come first? You're my son, my only son. There are other hunters out there who can do almost as good a job as I can do including your grandfather, Uncle Sam and Uncle Bobby. I will stay here for the rest of the summer, until school and that's final."

Harry couldn't help his slight smile, especially since he wanted to frown at his dad. He hated that he was taking his dad away from hunting but honestly it made him very happy. He had missed spending time with Dean.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The summer went by quickly; especially since Dean and Harry spent most of the time reconnecting. For the longest time it had been the two of them against the world but once they settled down in Lawrence where Dean got a job as a fireman and Millie entered the picture, it wasn't the same. They spent as much time together as they could but they always had other things on their minds, Dean especially. Harry, once he mostly got over the abuse from the Dursleys, never doubted his dad's love for him, but with what happened to Millie, it was difficult not to. Dean had spent a lot of time with Sam, and started hunting again, never really spending much time with Harry. He didn't realize the boy was falling into a depression and needed him more than ever.

After their discussion, Dean felt like a failure as a father. He should have been there for his kid after his only mother-figure died. He should have noticed how miserable Harry was whenever he went on hunts. And while Sirius loved Harry more than anyone, it was irresponsible to foist his child off on the man, especially since he was still recovering from prison and grieving over his brother slash best friend. Sam protested Dean's hunting hiatus but the younger man didn't understand what it meant to be a father. He thought that Harry could be pushed to the side as they tried to find John. It wasn't that Sam didn't love or care for Harry, it was just that the man was still a child himself in many ways and didn't understand what it meant to be a parent.

The father and son duo spent the summer going to sports games, amusement parks, zoos, and to the movies. Dean even took Harry on a small hunt. He believed that the eleven year old was old enough to join him on a simple salt and burn.

_Flashback – 2 weeks after Harry's 11th birthday_

_Harry was bouncing around in the front seat of his father's Impala as they drove to Orange City Iowa, just an hour and a half away from home. There had been a series of accidents surrounding an old house there and Hunters were needed to help out. Dean took every precaution into making sure that it would be just a haunting; he even asked Bobby to drive down there and check it out. _

_Once they arrived to the city, they quickly set up shop in a motel just two blacks from the haunted site. Dean let Harry do all the research. The kid had no clue that his dad had already done all the legwork. Harry found out that the house had belonged to Silias Wilson between 1871 to1885. His sister, Abigail Upchurch, and her kids moved in with him two months after his brother-in-law died in an accident. They lived there happily until 1881 when the oldest daughter of Abigail, Christine, disappeared and was found in a ditch 5 miles away from the house, three days later. She looked beaten black and blue and no one ever found her killer. Abigail abruptly took the rest of her children and moved away. The brother was found dead in the house 4 years after that. His neck was snapped and he was lying at the bottom of the stairs. Over the years there had been five deaths in that house, all of them males in their late forties. They were all found in the same manner of Silias. _

"_Dad," Harry said, "I think Christine killed him."_

_Dean could barely hide his grin because Bobby came to the exact same conclusion in twice the time. "Why do you think that?"_

_Harry gave his dad a long suffering look, "Well its obvious Christine's uncle did something to her so she killed him in revenge. She probably just keeps killing men like her uncle because she keeps looping through the last few days of her life."_

_Harry immediately insisted on salting and burning Christine's bones. It took Dean all of a minute to find the cemetery, and another ten to find the girl's grave once they got to the cemetery. Once her bones were dusted the duo decided to walk back to the house to check if the spirit was still there. _

"_Dad, that was so cool!" Harry exclaimed, as they were walking towards the car to put their tools away, "I can't believe that it was me who put that girl to rest!" _

_Dean smiled at Harry's exuberance, "You did very well today, my magician. Pretty soon you'll be able to join Sam and me."_

_Harry looked at his dad in confusion, "But I thought you said I have to wait until I'm seventeen," he said._

_Dean sighed and ran his hand through his hair He had just put the shovel away and closed the trunk. He squatted down in front of Harry and gave him a long searching look. As if satisfied with what he found, Dean nodded._

"_I did say that, and honestly I think that I'd be much happier with you being a little older but it's not practical right now. Before we were living in Lawrence and other than a few weekends a month I was home with you and you were going to school. Now I'm trying to help Sammy find your grandfather and taking care of you at the same time. I can't do both at the same time, so I decided to take you with me."_

"_Really?" Harry asked his eyes wide with wonder._

_Dean smiled, "Yeah, really! You're starting magic school now and with that portkey you don't need to stay in one place to get to school. I'll arrange it with Hadi if we could get a portkey which can be tied to an abject or person instead of a place so you can come back to me after school."_

"_But I thought you told me that you didn't want me to be a nomad like you and Sam were as kids."Harry pointed out._

_Dean chuckled, "You're going to have me eat my own words aren't you?"_

"_No question about it," Harry replied cheekily. _

_Dean stood up as they walked to the house. The cemetery was really close by and they didn't need to drive. Harry was carrying an iron poker while his dad had a shot gun. Luckily it was after dark so no one noticed them._

"_Well, you won't be changing schools every time we move." Dean pointed out, "It was really hard on your uncle and me when we were on the road. Sam became a geeky recluse and I just gave up on the institution all together."_

"_But dad, I can always stay with Uncle Paddy at the house."_

"_I need to have you with me Hare-bear," Dean admitted, "I felt like a failure hoisting you off on your godfather all the time while I was out hunting. We need each other, I think."_

_Harry slipped under his dad's arm and gave the man a hug. Dean still found chick moments distasteful but wouldn't pass up a hug from his son for the world. _

"_You're the best in the world, dad!" Harry exclaimed, "You took me in and saved me, gave me a happy home when I was alone in the world. You spend time with me and always put me first. A lot of my friend's dads work, and never have time for their kids."_

_Dean blinked twice really rapidly before giving Harry a big cocky smirk, "Of course I'm the best, I'm Dean Winchester!"_

_Harry couldn't help but laugh and smirked right back at his dad. They finally made it to the house and Dean was the first to enter. He looked around, before signaling for Harry to enter silently. They both had their EMF readers and for some reason they were still going off. _

"_Harry," Dean whispered, "I want you to go back to the car and wait for me there. Something's wrong."_

_Harry wanted to protest but remembered their deal. Dean told Harry that if he wanted to go on the hunt he had to promise to obey his father's every command. He turned around and was running for the door when he tripped over a loose floorboard. His arms flailed about, trying to find something to catch his fall. One second he was going head first into the floor and the next he was observing a strange scene._

_**Flash**_

"_**You're looking mighty pretty there little Christie," said an older man, alone with a little girl around 6 years old. The man gently stroked the girl's face and lips. He didn't notice the girl's father looking through the window.**_

"_**Thank you very much Uncle Silias," she chirped innocently before walking out the door after her mother, father, and siblings.**_

_**Flash**_

"_**Why?" an older woman demanded, crying in Silias' arms, "Why did it have to be my husband? What will the children and I do?"**_

_**Silias gave the woman a smile, but his eyes were firmly placed on Christine, "Come live with me, sister. I will take care of you and your children."**_

_**Flash**_

_**The girl looked to be 13. She was sitting on the bench in the front hallway, reading a book. Her uncle was staring at her from the parlor door.**_

"_**Uncle stop," she said, "Why do you stare at me so often?"**_

_**Her uncle gave her a strange smile, making her feel uncomfortable, "I can't help myself my darling Christie. You just look so grown up, and beautiful."**_

_**Neither of them noticed the vase on the small end table next to the bench crack.**_

_**Flash**_

"_**Where are you going dear niece?" Silias asked.**_

_**Christine, who looked not much older from before, just gave her uncle a slight smile, "Mama asked me to run to Mrs. Jones next door to fetch the preservatives they had made together from the berries in the forest."**_

"_**You shouldn't have to run your mother's errands," Silias said, glaring darkly towards the direction of the kitchen where he could hear his sister singing and washing dishes.**_

_**Christine didn't notice too busy pulling her shoes on, "I really don't mind Uncle Silias," she said, "It's a lovely day."**_

_**She left the house and was unable to hear as her mother screamed for Silias to stop hurting her, and her uncle scream that Abigail wasn't to give her oldest daughter menial work. The broken plates were blamed on Abigail's clumsiness.**_

_**Flash**_

"_**I am so excited to be going to an actual ball with you, Uncle Silias!" she exclaimed, pulling the shawl her mother gave her over her lavender dress, "I just love dancing."**_

_**Silias' eyes were dark as he looked at the young 15 year old girl twirling around in her dress. He smiled at her, and took her arm, leading Christine out the door. Abigail looked on, her eyes full of despair as she concealed her bruises on her arm with her gloves. She had tried to keep her daughter from going.**_

_**Flash**_

"_**Uncle Silias," Christine said, "Why cannot I go with Geoffrey and his parents to the lake? Mama agreed that I was allowed."**_

"_**It doesn't matter what your mother told you Christine! I am the head of this household and unless I say it is not alright!" he snarled, grabbing unto his niece's arm tightly.**_

"_**Uncle let go, please!" she cried out, "You're hurting me!"**_

"_**No! You are mine!"**_

_**Flash**_

"_**Release my daughter Silias!" cried out Abigail, pulling her brother away from her daughter.**_

_**The man just snarled and struck her so hard that the woman was out cold. Christine watched this in fear.**_

"_**Where are you taking me?" Christine asked quietly as Silias dragged out of the house and to the wooded area behind the house.**_

"_**Quiet," Silias barked.**_

"_**Let me go!" she cried, and that was the last anyone heard from her.**_

_**End Flash**_

_Harry woke up shaking. His dad dragged him out of the house and was kneeling over him. He looked relieved when Harry woke up and hugged the boy tightly._

"_Are you alright? What happened?" Dean demanded, checking the eleven year old over, "Maybe we should let you stay with Sirius," he was thinking out loud._

"_Dad," Harry asked, "What happened?"_

_Dean shook his head, "I don't know kid. One minute you were getting out of the house and the next you were on the floor unconscious."_

"_I think I saw them," Harry said._

"_Who?"_

"_Christine and her uncle," he replied, his mind running through the scenarios he witnessed, "I think…"_

_Dean grabbed his son by the shoulders and held him tightly, "Harry! Tell me!"_

_Harry was about to ask his dad to calm down when there was a screaming wail coming from the house. The Winchesters looked and only saw a white blur before Dean went soaring. _

"_Dad!" cried Harry as the spirit accosted his father. _

_The older hunter tried to defend himself from the deranged ghost but his shotgun was lying on the ground next to Harry and he didn't have any iron or salt on him. Harry realized his dad's vulnerability and grabbed the gun. Since the ghost kept moving and Dean was there Harry was unable to take aim with the shotgun so he turned to the next best thing and ran straight for them wielding his iron poker. It took him three swings but he managed to dispel the ghost. Unfortunately Dean also got hit with it in the arm. He unintentionally moved in the way of the iron poker and Harry didn't spot him. _

"_Agh!"Dean cried out, holding his now broken arm._

"_Dad!" Harry cried out, "What's wrong?" He didn't even notice that he hit Dean._

"_I'm alright kid," Dean grumbled, "Just a scratch."_

_Harry looked at the way his dad's arm was unnaturally bent where the arms wasn't meant to bend, "I don't think so dad," he said, "It looks broken. I recognize the signs from when Dr. Gerandy had me help him with a dog with a broken leg."_

"_No time to talk Harry," Dean said, getting up from the ground and pulling Harry behind him, "There's still a ghost to take care of."_

"_It wasn't Christine," Harry said, knowingly._

"_Harry?"_

"_It was her mother," he concluded._

"_Whoever it was, we got to go!" Dean exclaimed, "Sam can take care of this later. It's too dangerous for you right now."_

"_But dad I know I can fix this…"_

"_Get in the car now Harry," Dean said, "And hurry!"_

_Flashback end_

Needless to say, Sam and Bobby took care of the ghost three days later after painstakingly trying to locate the grave of Abigail Upchurch. It turned out that the woman died four years later, right before her brother died. The person who found her place of death was none other than Harry who had managed to convince his dad that the hunt was a fluke and that it would be alright if he joined him and Uncle Sam during the school year.

The duo didn't speak of Harry's little flashbacks, not because they didn't feel they had to but because they had no time to do so. Dean wanted to keep Sirius and Sam unaware in the dark about his son's ability he couldn't talk to Harry until they were alone.

After the disaster that was Harry's first hunt they spent the rest of the summer having fun. Sirius finally had a chance to really kick back and relax. Azkaban was a hard place to come back from, especially after losing someone he considered a brother. Sam had a hard time accepting that his brother wasn't going to hunt or look for John. He tried to make Dean understand that he needed to help him find their father but for the young father, Harry would always be first.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Adam Milligan was running around like a chicken without a head. As the apprentice to the Healer Lady Arya he was required to help the staff set up for the upcoming school year. He had already set up all the student packets and gave them to the homeroom teachers and was now hanging up the posters which would tell all the students where to go once they arrived via portkey. He had just hung the last poster when the first wave of students arrived. Sighing in relief that he had everything set up and was in the right place to give the first years their room assignments he turned around and began to speak.

"Welcome to Salem Institute of Magic. My name is Adam Milligan and I am the apprentice of the school's Mistress of Healing, Lady Arya. You can all call me Apprentice or just Adam. If everybody could please turn to their left and walk towards the wall while staying in line I'll be able to get everyone to where their supposed to be. If the first people in the line could go behind the last people in the line in front of them please, we need to leave before the next portkeys come in." he finished.

The first years followed Adam with minimal problems. They made it to the cafeteria where the other apprentices and the student's homeroom teachers were waiting. Adam gestured for everyone to sit down in a chair while remaining in their positions in line, and joined Lady Arya in the front of the room. The headmistress waited until everyone was seated before speaking.

"Welcome to our humble school. My name is Judith Sinclair, the Headmistress of this school. To my left is my deputy Lawrence Matthers and on his left is the head of the first through third years Cynthia Lis.

"Today is Orientation Day and thus will be very different from what you will become used to. Now, I will wave my wand and each of you shall be receiving a packet of information. Included should be your homeroom assignments, your locker numbers, a list of after school activities, a letter home for your parents, and a copy of your class schedule.

"Homeroom will occur every day before and after classes. There you should receive any announcements pertaining to you, your lunch menus, monthly bulletin, and letters home. You should attend each and every homeroom for attendance purposes as well as announcements. Homeroom will be overseen by one of the apprentices who will report to their masters.

"Lockers for first years will be located in the red hall on the second floor by your homeroom. As you are new to the building most of your classes should be held in the red hall. Lockers are tuned to each individual magical signature and should only open for you. If you have any problems with your locker contact your homeroom officer.

"After school activities are voluntary but once you sign up you are expected to attend. The deadline for signing up for first years will be two weeks from today but the activities all start tomorrow.

"The letter home is to be returned by the end of the week. It is just outlining what I am telling you now for your parents as well as some contact information and other miscellaneous things.

"Finally your schedule will tell you which classes you have signed up for and mark the class you should be attending. Now the Apprentices will be holding a sign up with their room number on it. You are to go to the person holding up your homeroom assignment. The Apprentices will tell you your next task of the day. Have a good day."

Harry looked through his packet quickly and found that his homeroom assignment was room 234. He glanced up looking for his room when he noticed that the Apprentice who they had met first had it in his hand. He smiled, happy that he knew where to go and quickly joined his classmates standing behind Adam.

He took a good look at his homeroom officer and couldn't help but feel as if the guy looked familiar. Finally he shrugged, determined to ask his dad if he knew the guy later. Adam waited for everyone to leave before speaking again.

"For those of you who didn't hear me before, I'm Adam, and I'm going to be the guy you guys turn to if you're having any problems or questions. Right now I'm going to take you all on a tour of the school and introduce you to the teachers. Most of you have the same schedule so I'll probably be able to take you from each class so you can get a head start."

Adam led the group past the cafeteria, giving them all sorts of tips and advice like which cafeteria foods to avoid, the meal prices, and the names of the lunchroom monitors and servers. He then took them to their first class, then second, third etc. He told them all about their teachers and gave his group some good advice about them. When they finally reached their homeroom, most were happy just to relax for a moment after the information overload. Next Adam had everyone sit in a desk and introduce themselves. There were only ten of them. Adam went first.

"My name is Adam Milligan and I want to be a healer when I grow up. I'm a first generation wizard. My mom raised me pretty much on her own with my dad coming by a couple times a year to get to know me. I like biology and hate math even though I'm pretty good at the subject. My favorite magic is charms. I live in Windom Minnesota." He said pointing to a boy in the front row.

The kid cleared his throat and started, "My name is Garrett Williams. I live in New York City with my ma, dad and three sisters. I'm also a first generation wizard. I don't know what I wanna be." He said and Adam gestured for the girl next to him to talk.

"Hi!" she said rather perkily, "I'm Chelsea Brooks from San Francisco, California. I'm a second generation pureblood. I love fashion and riding horses. I want to be a famous fashion designer."

Harry couldn't help but snort at the girl, feeling as though she would be a handful. He was tempted to avoid her, but decided not to before he had a chance to really get to know her. Next spoke a very quiet girl who looked like she was hiding behind her hair. Her name was Sophie Ferguson and she lived in Toronto, Canada. She liked to read and was the youngest of five being a pureblood.

It was Harry's turn next. "I'm Harrison Winchester but please call me Harry. I live with my dad, my uncle, and my three dogs AC, DC, and Black. I love animals and want to do something with them when I get older. I used to live in Lawrence Kansas but now my dad and uncle travel doing the family business so I'm going to join them. We'll be real life nomads."

Adam looked at Harry strangely for a moment before moving on. He called on the next boy who seemed more than eager to tell everyone about himself.

"Hello classmates of mine! I'm Joey Fitzgerald but you can call me Supreme Lord of Mars. I love video games, all kinds of sports, and the ladies of course. I want to be a professional party crasher when I grow up."

The entire class was silent for a minute, wondering how this boy got the gall to make fun of the activity before they all started laughing having realized that Joey really meant most of what he said.

Next went Kenny Holmes, a boy from Montana who loved horror movies. Apparently he wanted to be a potions master. Then was Noelle Blackfoot, a Native American girl from Texas. She was going to take her grandmother's place as medicine woman for her tribe. Chris Morgan was a friendly boy from Quebec who loved sports of all kinds. He wanted to go into professional Quiditch.

"My name is Keely Jones, and I'm a pureblood witch. I want to be a Technomage when I get older. I love the concept of combining mundane technology with magic. I live in Richmond Virginia with my mom, dad, and grandfather."

Harry smiled at Keely and gave her thumbs up glad that she was in his class. Finally went Kirsten Holmes, Kenny's twin sister. She liked music and dance.

Once everyone introduced themselves, Adam took them to their lockers so that they could put their books away and led them down to lunch which was free for them on the first day. Most of them brought a packed lunch but indulged in the pizza offered anyway. All of them sat down at the same table and got to know each other. Keely clung to Harry's arm as she broke the ice. She hated silence but was also very shy in the beginning of getting to know someone.

"I cannot wait until we have Technomacy class tomarrow! I hope that it's as fun as it sounds."

Chelsea smiled, "I heard from my older sister that the teacher of that class is like rather young and knows what she's doing."

Joey was practically bouncing in his seat, "I hope we can play some video games!" he cried.

Kirsten scoffed, "Don't be silly! Teachers won't be playing video games in class. For one we're in a magic school and for another most of the teachers probably don't even know what video games are!"

"Be nice Kirst," Kenny whispered, "I don't want to alienate everyone on our first day!"

Kirsten scoffed but stayed quiet. She hated stupid questions and stupid people even more but she loved her brother and would do anything for him. The group spent the rest of lunch talking about whatever came up. When Adam came to get his group he was pleased to see everyone laughing and having fun together.

The rest of the day was spent playing games and getting to know each other better. Towards the end of the day Madame Sinclair organized some presentations from the teachers telling the first years what each subject was about and answering any of their questions. When it was finally time to go home, Keely, Harry, and the rest of his group were exhausted but all had smiles on their faces. The day was a success.

Before Harry went home he went to Adam to ask him if they could organize a portkey which was keyed to an object and not his house. He explained about how his dad's job required a lot of moving around and that it would be a lot easier to have a way to get to Dean. Adam took Harry to the Charms teacher and she created the portkey which would be linked to a small statuette rather than his house. Before he left, Adam asked Harry if he was related to a John Winchester. Harry told Adam that the man was his grandfather and the elder thanked him and walked away. Harry shrugged in bewilderment and left.

Arriving home, Harry found himself in the living room with Sam, Sirius and his dad waiting to hear all about his day. Harry explained everything and gave his dad his packet. He also asked his dad if he knew anyone named Adam Milligan.

"I don't think so Hare-bear." Dean said, "Why?"

Harry shrugged, "Adam just seems familiar is all. I don't know why." He admitted, but didn't say how the apprentice asked about John.

"Alright," Sirius interrupted, "Let's go eat dinner. It'll get cold if we wait any longer!"

Harry and his family ate dinner and went out for ice cream before Harry collapsed on his bed and fell asleep. He only hoped that his second day went as well as his first.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Harry had been in school for a month already and it was time for Parent-Teacher conferences. Sam couldn't tell who was more nervous, Dean or Harry. A week ago Dean asked Harry all about Portkeys, and the eleven year old eagerly explained. Dean had been nervous ever since.

"Dean, would you calm down?" Sam demanded the fiftieth time Dean walked past him, "It's just a meet and greet between the parents and teachers. You've been to at least 4 already, and I doubt it'll be much different because the subjects are magic as well as regular."

Dean shook his head, "It's not that, Sammy. I love meeting my son's teachers. Hearing them praising Harry is awesome. I get bragging rights galore. This one time Harry's math teacher was ragging on the fact that my kid was correcting him in class and dude that was brilliant. My second grade kid was smarter than a forty year old. What kind of an asshole doesn't know pi? Seriously?"

Sam chuckled, easily picturing a 7 year old telling his teacher all about how one could calculate the circumference of a circle using pi. Harry loved to read and had been very advanced for his age.

"Dean I don't think the guy didn't know Pi, I just think that he wasn't supposed to teach that to seven year olds yet." Sam said.

Dean shrugged, "Doesn't really matter. Harry was moved up a grade anyway and didn't have the dick as his teacher anymore."

Sam rolled his eyes, "Of course," he muttered, and then in a normal voice said, "Well if its not meeting the teachers that gets to you is it being in school? I know you hated school when we were kids, but I thought once you graduated, you'd get over it."

Dean rolled his eyes, "Even if I did hate school, this is magic school. What kind of a person would pass up seeing that?" he demanded.

Sam snorted at his brother's transparent excitement to see magic in play. He would have never thought that his super hunter older brother would ever get excited about magic. Dean was too much of a John clone to even consider that the supernatural world wasn't as black and white as they painted it.

"I'm more nervous about the portkey," Dean admitted once he thought Sam was well distracted by his thoughts. Unfortunately for him, Sam was quite good at multi-tasking and heard Dean quite clearly.

"Wait," Sam exclaimed, "You're more nervous about few seconds it takes to get from here to the school than anything else?"

Dean glared at Sam, unwilling to answer even that. He should have kept his mouth shut. Sam would never let him forget this fact. "Dude its worse than flying!"

Sam looked at his brother in disbelief, "Harry does it every day and doesn't complain at all about it." He said

Dean frowned, "Well the freaky kid somehow actually likes to fly. Of course Portkeys would be no problem for him," he said, "I mean the damned device whips you through the air and then you're supposed to let go at the final destination and pretty much free fall out of the sky. I'd rather drive thank you. I mean what if the stupid thing is faulty and drops me in the middle of Mexico?"

Sam smiled, "Well I hope you know how to ask for a taxi in Spanish."

Dean sneered at his brother, "Really funny Sammy! I mean it was so funny I forgot to laugh."

"I thought it was funny," Sam readily admitted.

"You would," Dean said, "You have the worst sense of humor on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. The only person who is worse than you is Bobby and he doesn't laugh…at all."

"But really," Sam said, "You have nothing to worry about with the portkey. Harry's school makes hundreds of portkeys a year and I doubt they'd screw up now. I mean you could always ask Sirius to take you to the school, but I doubt he knows where it is."

Dean glared at the letter sitting in the middle of the table. It was from Harry's homeroom officer and told him that the portkey would activate at 5:30, and take him to the portkey room. He would be then greeted by Harry who would take him around to each classroom to see all of his teachers. Apparently there would be a small get together for the parents in Harry's homeroom at 7:30. In the letter was also the list of classes and their scheduled times and places for meeting the teachers.

At 5:26, Dean nervously approached the letter and reluctantly picked it up. He held it as far away from himself as possible as if the thing was about to bite him. Sam found the scene to be especially hilarious.

"Careful Dean," Sam said, "Harry told me that if you don't get a tight enough grip on it, you could fly off of the portkey."

"What?" Dean demanded, clutching at the letter with both hands, "I thought you said that this thing was safe!"

Sam shrugged and was about to reply when Dean was whisked out of there. He chuckled and decided to go to a bar. It would be a while until Dean and Harry came back.

Dean was screaming his head off. The portkey was whisking him through the air at almost supersonic speeds and it scared him to no end. He hated anything to do with flying. It was unnatural and he thought that if humans were meant to be soaring through the air they'd have wings. The portkey was slowing down and Dean could see the sign for Harry's school beneath him. Harry had explained to him that he had to let go of the portkey once he reached his final destination, but what sane person would release their hold on the only thing keeping them safe. He took a deep breath and gave himself a mental pep talk but he took too long and the portkey suddenly disappeared from his grasp.

"Holy shit!" Dean cried out and curled up into a ball.

He felt himself land on the ground but was completely unwilling to get out of the fetal position. He vowed to himself never to take a portkey again, even if he had to take a plane home. At least airplanes wouldn't toss their passengers to the ground. He was muttering to himself when Harry came up to him.

"Dad?" he said, "Could you get up? There's another family scheduled to be coming through and we don't want to be late for your first meeting."

Dean looked up once he heard Harry's voice and almost instantly found himself hugging his son for dear life. Harry knew all about Dean's aerophobia and thus expected this or a similar reaction. He also knew his dad would have never let go of the portkey so he asked them to send his dad a special portkey which disappeared from the passenger's hand when it was necessary to let go. He led his father to the bathroom to let the man regain his composure. It took a few minutes but soon enough Dean found himself highly embarrassed by his reaction.

"You know it's not natural," Dean said trying to come up with excuses for his behavior, "A lot of people would react like I did."

"I know dad," Harry placated.

"That can't be safe," he insisted, "Maybe we should rethink your attendance here if they make you use portkeys as your primary mode of transportation."

"Dad," Harry said, "You're okay! The portkey was perfectly safe. I don't mind them at all."

"But Sam said…"

"Just ignore what Uncle Sam said. He's your younger brother; he loves to ruffle your feathers."

"So it doesn't matter how you hold onto the portkey?" Dean asked.

Harry frowned, "Well you should have a firm grip on the object…"

Dean cut him off, paler than before, "That's all I need to know Harry," he said.

"But dad…"

"Just take me to your English teacher before I have a complete nervous breakdown in the bathroom."

"But you're Dean Winchester," Harry said, "I thought you said nothing really fazes you."

Dean scowled. He knew that comment would come back to bite him in the ass. "Just hurry up Harry," he said ignoring his son's comment.

"Dad?"

"Now!"

~Bobby's House ~

Being an escaped convict wasn't as half as fun as it sounded, especially when Bobby Singer was there making sure that he didn't do anything risky. Ever since Harry joined Dean on his hunts Sirius had been bored out of his mind. He wasn't allowed out of the house whether in human guise or otherwise. Not only that, but Harry wouldn't be visiting for another few weeks. He briefly considered joining up with him but Bobby foiled his plan.

"Don't you dare do anything Black!" he growled, not even looking up from his book, "I promised that boy that I'd keep your nose clean and out of trouble and I intend on keeping that promise if it's the last thing I do."

Sirius scowled, "I'm a grown man," he insisted, "I don't need a babysitter."

Bobby rolled his eyes, "You keep that attitude up and I'll bend you over the knee. You're an escaped convict and people will be trying to throw your ass back in prison. If you want to be there for Harry, you're going to have to make some sacrifices but if you want to go out and get caught be my guest. It'll be easier for him now before he gets too attached to you."

Sirius growled at the old hunter, "Harry loves me!" he said.

Bobby sighed, "Like it or not Harry isn't the type of person to love easily. After those damned relatives of his, he finds it hard to trust let alone love anyone."

Sirius frowned, "But that was years ago. Surely he's over it."

Bobby snorted, "Just like you're over your parents and how they treated you."

Sirius glared at Bobby, "That's different. I lived with them until I was 16."

"Of course, how could I assume that Harry's suffering was even remotely like yours?" Bobby drawled sarcastically.

"I didn't say that," Sirius exclaimed, "It's just that he was so young and can barely remember them…"

"That doesn't mean it didn't leave a scar."

"Well than its obvious that Dean didn't do that good of a job. I should take him away. James and Lily trusted me to look after him if something happened to them." Sirius mumbled to himself, unaware that he was speaking out loud.

Bobby was sick of Sirius' attitude. He knew that the man was damaged after that prison but he would not stand for the man insulting the man he considered a son. Dean Winchester was a lot of things but a bad father was not one of them. He would do everything for his son and always put Harry first. Sirius didn't know the first thing about Harry. He only saw his late friends in him.

"Now you listen here boy," Bobby spat, "You do anything to take Harry away from his father and I promise you that you'll be begging for mercy before I'm done with you."

Sirius was surprised by Bobby's comment but still scowled, "Harry needs…"

"And you think you can provide anything that kid needs convict?" Bobby asked, "Grow up Black and learn how to really think. Not only are you considered a damned criminal, but you spent the better part of his adult years in prison, and that made you mentally unstable and completely unfit to raise a rabbit let alone a young child. You still see Harry as James' child even though you know that he only adopted the boy."

"Harry is James' son and my godson! It doesn't matter who got Lily pregnant!"

Bobby chuckled darkly, "Do me a favor and try to figure out what Harry really means to you. I can't believe Dean actually allows you within 50 miles of his kid."

"I love Harry! I've loved him since he was born."

"Do you really? Are you sure you don't just love James and Lily's son?"

"Of course!" Sirius protested but suddenly he wasn't so sure.

Bobby looked at the man knowingly, "I'll leave you alone. Find me when you're ready."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Adam watched as Harry practiced the wand motions for the levitation spell over and over again. He couldn't help but wonder about the kid, the kid's dad and especially their last name. Winchester was his father's name and apparently he shared it with Harry and Dean. Whether or not that was a coincidence Adam had yet to decide. He didn't know whether he actually wanted to know about his father's other life. Sure he knew the older man had one, but honestly he didn't want the added drama in his life.

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. His father was never really around when he was growing up. Sure he took him to baseball games and sent him a birthday card or two but honestly he didn't care much for the man. Did he really want to meet the guy who was raised by him? John was an ass, even when playing nice; Adam always pictured John as a drill sergeant actually.

On the other hand Harry might have not even been related to his father. For all he knew they just coincidentally shared the same name. What were the odds that the most anti-magic man in the universe was related to first generation wizards? He didn't even know if Harry had a relative named John.

The bell rang, snapping Adam out of his thoughts. He watched as Harry walked off to lunch chatting happily to Keely. He quickly followed, knowing it was his job to escort the newest magic practitioners to the cafeteria for lunch. He picked up a sandwich, walked over to the other apprentices and sat down next to his friend, Gary.

"Yo," Gary said, bumping fists with Adam, "S'up?"

Adam smiled at his friend, "Nothin' much!" he said.

Gary gave Adam a knowing look, "Don't give me that bull man," he said, "You're more transparent than veritaserium."

"You're the aspiring potions master," Adam pointed out with a smirk.

"Spill,"

Adam sighed, "You know Harry," he said, "The first year?"

"Dude, that kid's cool!" Gary exclaimed, "What about him?"

Adam sighed, "I think he's my nephew," he admitted.

Gary looked at Adam in surprise, "That's sweet man!"

Adam looked at him in surprise, "How's that sweet?"

Gary snorted, "How isn't it?" he asked, "I would kill to have a nephew who actually knows and likes AC/DC and Def Leppard."

Adam looked at Gary as if he were crazy but then shook his head, "Anyway, I've talked about my father. You know what I think about him."

Gary snorted, "Dude! Who doesn't know what you think about him?" he demanded.

Adam gave his friend a hard look, "And I don't know whether I actually want to expose myself to another person like my father."

Gary snorted, "No one with a kid like Harry can be as douchie as John," he pointed out, "I mean the kid is epic!"

Adam rolled his eyes, "Moving on," he said, "So you think I should find out if I really am related to Harry Winchester."

Gary frowned, "But I thought you said he was…"

"I said that I _think_ he's my nephew," Adam said, "I mean it could just be a coincidence that his name is Winchester just like John."

Gary looked at Harry in fascination, "I think he has your wild hair," he muttered almost to himself, "And the same nose…"

Adam was horrified, "Gary!"

"What?"

Adam just rolled his eyes and got up; it was time to get his group to their next class anyway. He spent the rest of the day in a daze. He didn't know what to do and honestly didn't know who to turn to for advice. Gary, as loyal as he was, just did not see the seriousness of the situation. He briefly considered talking to his mom but immediately decided against it. She had a lot of issues when it came to John Winchester. His mom really fell for the guy but he only really saw her as a fling or the mother of his son. It would break Kate's heart to know that John actually had another family out there. She always told Adam that he had to travel a lot for work and couldn't be there for them.

Finally the last bell rang and his group came together so that Adam could give them the announcements and take attendance to make sure everyone who was supposed to be there was there. He was about to send them all to the portkey room to send them home when Chelsea asked him what they should do for the second part of parent-teacher conferences. He had completely forgotten and mentally cursed Gary for not reminding him. Luckily the apprentices had been preparing for weeks so he knew exactly what was going to happen.

"I think that we were charged with setting up the seats and passing out the programs for tonight's magic show." Adam replied, "Our group was also charged with directing the parents to their seats."

The small group of eleven year olds beamed and set off to work without complaint. Sophie and Kenny were charged with setting up the programs on everyone's seat and everyone else set out to putting the name tags on the chairs in the auditorium/recreation room/cafeteria. Since there were only 10 first years and since this was an event strictly for them and their families, there would only be 36 guests. Once everything was set up, they all went backstage where Adam gave them the refreshments for the refreshment table to set up. They quickly went back because the parents and guests were arriving and would be there any second. Keely and Garrett were in charge of getting everyone to their assigned seats.

Finally the lights flicked off and the show began. Chelsea was the starting act. She had put on a traditional witch's garments including the hat and robe, and was demonstrating the first spell that they had all learned successfully: the spell to change a match into a needle. She had explained the theory behind the spell quite well and was now demonstrating how to cast said spell. She had even gone into the pronunciation and the spell's history before jabbing the match and stating the spell quite clearly. The process was done under a magnification spell and went quite well. The parents who were witches or wizards all cheered for their kids, knowing how difficult it was to get that first spell done, while the mundane parents all applauded for the amazing feat of magic just shown. For many of them this was their first taste of real magic and seeing it come from their children made it all the more magical.

Kenny went next, lugging a cast iron cauldron across the stage with a small table, chair, and ingredients following. Adam cast a spell to allow the audience to see the cauldron from the top and let the boy do his thing. He was hilarious, making silly comments about the potion, which was used to silence for an hour, and the ingredients he used in it. He made it absolutely clear that potion brewing was dangerous work and that despite his humor he was taking the discipline very seriously. In the end he brought out a loud obnoxious toad and made it go quiet. He got a round of applause.

Noelle introduced what they had learned in charms next, telling the parents all about switching spells, and demonstrating by switching her mother's necklace for her own. Chris then brought out a large poster and explained how spells were created, well at least how they were named and how their incantations were deduced. Kirsten was set to present what they had learned in art and told the parents, siblings and other family members about the few mundane artists who were really witches and wizards. What was really interesting was how she showed the wizarding uncensored versions of many pieces of art that came to life. Joey was a jock, plain and simple. When he heard about the show he knew that there was only one thing he would show their audience and that was flying on a broomstick. He wasn't the best in the class, that honor went to Harry, but he had the most experience since he had started flying young and knew all kinds of cool tricks.

Harry was up and Adam could tell that the boy was extremely nervous. He hated attention, something Adam could relate to. Taking a deep breath, Harry pulled out his snake and walked on stage. He told everyone everything he knew and learned about his guardian snake in Magical Zoology. For the finale he convinced Topitzin, his snake, to fly around the room and to grow 10 times his size. It scared and impressed everyone.

Keely gave the audience a run down about the short history of Technomacy and finally explained the mechanics of how to let electric things work in a magically saturated environment. Sophie wowed the audience with a wonderfully written monologue about the Magical Revolution which separated the magical US from magical Britain. She did it with such flari and drama that everyone watching was enraptured. Last but certainly not least was Garrett who explained the difference between the Nundu and the jaguar. Apparently they were once the same creature but magical exposure forced the Nundu to evolve in order to survive and unlike their nonmagical counterparts it took them little time to evolve.

At the end of their little show Adam watched as Harry ran over to his family. Now Harry's father he recognized from the night before but who was the abnormally tall man with them? He just watched them for a while, happy that it was the teachers who the parents went to after events like this instead of the apprentices. He had just decided to go up to them when he spotted Gary. His friend looked as if he had something firmly wedged up his ass as he walked and his smile was definitely creepy. Adam wondered where he was going when he caught his gaze and Gary gave him a wink. Only bad things would come from that wink.

"Hey little dude!" Gary called out, making it impossible for Adam to intercept him, "That thing you did with that snake was awesome! We're gonna have to call you the snake whisperer or something!"

Harry smiled and shared a look with his dad. "Or something," Harry replied.

"So I guess this is your dad," Gary said, holding out his hand to Dean.

"Dean Winchester, and this is my younger brother Sam," he said.

"I'm Gary Willows, man!" Gary said, "Dude your son is the bomb! He knows about all the coolest shit, and actually gets it when I joke around."

Sam smirked, "Well when a kid is Dean Winchester, they have to adapt to his mannerisms as best as possible or go insane. I should know since Dean practically raised me."

Gary looked impressed by this, "I bow down to the master man! I've been trying to convert my best friend for years."

Dean just smirked smugly, "Yeah well I had their impressionable minds in my grasp since day one," he said giving his son a playful look.

Gary nodded as if that was the answer to all his problems, but then switched gears, "Dude is this everyone in your family? Where's your mom?" he directed that last part to Harry.

He shrugged, "She died when I was a baby," Harry admitted, "And my grandfather John doesn't really like magic too much,"

Dean snorted, and mumbled something under his breath making Sam look at his reproachfully. Harry heard but he was too used to his father's sense of humor.

"John, huh?" Gary asked, looking at Adam on the sly, "What a coincidence, my best friend Adam also has a family member named John who hates magic. In fact I think his last name is Win…"

Adam full out ran towards Gary and tackled him before the idiot could reveal more. Seeing the looks he was getting from who he knew now to be his brothers, Adam just gave them a smile and informed them that Gary had a few things to take care of and had to go. They watched as Adam frog-marched Gary out of the room and into the cafeteria.

"What the hell are you doing Gary?" Adam demanded.

"I'm bringing some testosterone into your life bud! You're more of a girl than my sister and she's 16."

Adam rolled his eyes, "I'm not that bad," he said crossing his arms and giving Gary the look.

Gary shivered, "Dude, how many guys do you know that can successfully pull off that look?" he asked.

"What look?"

"That thing you do with your eyes man," he insisted, "It's like I have to confess all my sins to you man so you don't hurt me! My mom does that look!"

Adam rolled his eyes, "You're being ridiculous,"

"Probably," Gary admitted, "But that still gives you no right to blurt out all my secrets to Dean and Sam,"

"Huh ho!" Gary exclaimed, "You were listening!"

"I was just making sure that you wouldn't tell them anything about me," Adam said calmly.

"I call your bluff my friend and raise you 20,"

Adam looked up towards the sky as if asking for patience before dragging Gary backstage to start cleaning up after the show. Although when he was absolutely sure Gary's attention was elsewhere, he would sneak a peek at his brothers and nephew. It was finally the end of the night and the Winchester clan was gone. Adam wondered if he should have exposed himself to them but in the end decided that he would wait, if only because he really wanted to find out just who he was bringing into his life.


	23. Chapter 23  Interlude

Chapter 23 - Interlude

Harry couldn't help but smile as he gazed at the girl tucked under his arm. Chelsea Brooks was his first girlfriend and honestly he couldn't have chosen a better one. She had grown up a lot since they first started at Salem three years ago, and with Dean Winchester as a father it was hard not to notice. She was ideal, especially since she was just as eager as he was to explore the newness that was dating. No one knew about them yet, they didn't feel comfortable sharing their status. Everyone thought that Harry was tutoring Chelsea in Healing since that was his best subject and her worst and that was how they planned on keeping it.

Harry leaned down and was about to peck Chelsea's cheek when he spotted Garrett, Keely and Joey goofing around by the water fountain. They were all at the mall. He suddenly felt guilty much to his confusion and quickly removed his arm from Chelsea's shoulder. She was about to ask what was wrong when she heard Joey cry out Harry's name. She sighed and rolled her eyes. She didn't care much for Harry's friends and hated that their date was over before it even really began.

"Hey guys!" Harry cried out, giving them their customary fist bump, "What are you guys doing here? I thought you guys were going to the pitch to fly around."

Keely rolled her eyes, "Apparently Joey didn't want to get wet. It's raining outside, and no one knew the impervious spell."

Joey glared at Keely, "Well excuse me for not wanting to get sick before my big date."

"What big date?" Keely exclaimed, "You and Noelle are just going to the park for ice cream so that your little brothers can play!"

"I'll have you know that I'm going to kiss her!" Joey exclaimed.

"Ha! I'd pay to see that! You're such a pussy!"

Harry and Garrett rolled their eyes, quite used to the fights between the other two members of their quartet. Chelsea was getting quite intimidated since the fight between them was getting quite intense. Sensing her apprehension Harry discreetly took her hand in his and squeezed it reassuringly. She gave him a bright smile, sending butterflies straight to Harry's stomach.

"…parents asked us to take Alex and Peter with us after we made plans!"

"Well if it really was a date you'd have said no!"

The two were boiling mad, almost ready to attack the other. Harry sighed and praying for his life, decided to intervene.

"Guys!" he said exasperatedly, "Can you please for once stop fighting? We're in public!"

Keely gave Harry the stink eye which made his stomach roll uncomfortably but did stop fighting with Joey who looked as if he was about to explode. Garrett, seeing his friend's state, took Joey towards the Arcade where they could play The Troll Tournament for days. Harry wanted to go join them but had a feeling that if he didn't stay with his girlfriend and Keely, he'd probably have to find the nearest doghouse and squat there.

"Joey's such a baby, isn't he?" Chelsea asked nervously, hating the silence.

Keely did not like that at all. The only person who could make fun of Joey, Garrett, and Harry in her vicinity was her alone. She was ready to scratch Chelsea's eyes out for that little comment; luckily she didn't like the girl much in the first place.

"Take that back!" Keely practically growled, her eyes flashing.

Chelsea was confused, "Take what back?"

"You just insulted one of my boys! Take it back."

Chelsea rolled her eyes, ignoring Harry's subtle warnings, "It's not like you didn't do the same…"

Keely rushed at Chelsea, making her scream in fright and hide behind her boyfriend.

"Harry, make her stop!" Chelsea demanded.

Harry sighed, "Keels, could you leave Chelsea alone? She didn't mean anything by it."

Keely looked taken back. She wasn't used to Harry sticking up for anyone outside their group. Sure he was nice to everyone, but he only really cared for her, Garrett, Joey and Luna.

"I'm sorry," she said as more of a question than a comment.

Chelsea looked at Keely smugly, and tried to burrow herself under Harry's arm once more but he wasn't having that. He actually took a big step away from Chelsea and stared at her as if he had never seen her before. He never really realized how much Chelsea disliked his friends. Sure it was nice dating her, but if she was going to disrespect his group, he wanted nothing to do with her.

"Chelsea," Harry said, "I think it's time for you to go home. I'll walk you over to the portkey pad."

Chelsea looked at him with lustful eyes, well as lustful as a 13 year old could get. "Are you going to join me?" she asked.

Harry shook his head, "I'm going to hang out with Keely and the others."

"Well maybe next time then," Chelsea said, pouting.

Harry shook his head again, "I don't think there's going to be a next time."

"What?" Chelsea demanded, "You're ditching me? For her?"

Harry shrugged, externally unfazed but inside her was shaking in his boots. He had watched scenarios like this play out many times, but never with his involvement. He tried to think back and remember what his dad would do, but realized that there was nothing he could do that wouldn't escalate the situation. There was only one way this would play out. Wouldn't Dean be so proud that Harry was already following in his footsteps at the tender age of thirteen?

"Agh!" Chelsea screeched before stomping towards the exit, "This means we're over!"

She disappeared.

Keely looked at Harry, "You were together?" she asked gently.

Harry nodded, "For a couple weeks," he admitted.

Keely winced, "Maybe I should have been nicer…"

Harry shrugged once more, "You didn't know Keels. Besides, she doesn't really care for you guys and that's not cool."

Keely gave Harry a smile and kissed him on the cheek, dazing the teen, "Do you want to go join the boys?" she asked once he was out of lala land.

Harry nodded, and started to briskly walk over to the arcade. Keely was right besides him.

"What did you see in her anyway?" Keely just had to ask.

Harry blushed, making Keely want to know even more, "She's really pretty."

Keely rolled her eyes, "Mom was right," she muttered, "Boys are rather superficial."

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while. School is kicking my butt, not to mention my new job! I'll try to give you the next installment soon but no promises. I'll try to add another chapter after this weekend.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"Attention all upperclassmen," they heard over the loudspeaker, "If you could all please report to the cafeteria, there we will be holding a meeting regarding the International Magic Tournament our school will be participating in."

Harry and his friends all grinned at each other, knowing that each of them would be entered in the tournament. It was a competition between all the major schools in the world, third years and up, including apprentices and professors. Although being able to duel against students all around the world had its appeal, Harry was mostly looking forward to his dad and uncles experiencing the fighting side of magic. Uncle Sirius would find it refreshing being back amongst wizards, Uncle Sam and Bobby would find any magic fascinating and his dad especially would love the combat and fights, especially since not all dueling would be limited to magic. Many of the schools still taught the old forms of combat to its students including sword fighting and martial arts. While Harry's school did not teach the other aspects of fighting, students with private tutoring were allowed to participate in the competitions with parental permission.

"I cannot wait to show those old fashioned goody two shoes school just what Salem is made of!" exclaimed Joey, rubbing his hands together in glee.

Garrett snorted, "Why don't you leave that to the professionals, Joe?" he asked, obviously coining himself as one such professional.

Keely rolled her eyes and turned to Harry, "So what are you going to sign up for?" she asked, nudging her best friend.

Harry grinned, "Well the magical duels of course," he said, "But I think I'll also try the hand to hand."

Keely rolled her eyes, "I should have guessed," she said dryly, "But what about the competitions?"

Harry grinned even wider if possible and succinctly replied with, "Healing, Charms, Defense, Technomancy, Magical Creatures, and Potions."

"Prepare to loose Hazza!" Joey exclaimed, "There is no way you'll win over me in the Charms competition. I'm not the top of the class for nothing."

"Actually Mr. Fitzgerald," said Senora Martinez from behind, "That honor goes to Miss. Holmes but I do suppose that coming in second is nice too."

Harry and Garrett laughed outright. "Burn!" exclaimed Keely with a broad grin.

"Nice one Senora Martini!" Garrett said, giving her thumbs up.

"Martinez," she corrected, "Get it correct Mr. Williams, before I send you to detention."

The group of friends head down to the cafeteria and sat down at their regular table where Kirsten and Jenny were waiting for them. They were talking excitedly about the tournament when the deputy headmaster entered the room. Almost as if under a spell, the cafeteria fell quiet. The students had a lot of respect for their deputy and thus whenever he spoke, everyone listened.

"As you all probably know, over the next 5 months our school will be participating in the International Magic Tournament this year. Everyone 13 and older is welcome and even encouraged to participate and while not everyone will win, this is a good experience. There are 3 divisions in this tournament, and each division is divided in sections.

"The main division will be the magical dueling division. Each age group will compete amongst themselves only, but the oldest will have a chance at fighting against a teacher of their choice. The two wing divisions will be sword fighting, and hand to hand. For these the students should have at least 4 years of proficiency under their belt and since the turn out isn't expected to be as big, the students in either division will have the chance to compete against anyone else who signed up regardless of age. Homeroom teachers will have the signup sheets.

"Now the minor subject competitions will be somewhat like a science fair in design. Each student participating will be allowed to choose and execute a project. The judges will be randomly selected from the professors and their judging will be blind. If you have any other questions now is your only chance."

Keely raised her hand, "Which schools will be competing?"

The Deputy Headmaster gave her a sardonic smirk, "It'd probably be easier to ask which schools aren't, but there is a list of schools on the announcement board outside of the Portkey room."

Chelsea, not wanting to be out done by Keely raised her hand as well, "Where will the competition take place?"

"We will hold them at the six major schools, one on each continent, around the world. I believe Hogwarts is up first."

Harry froze, feeling dread. How did he manage not to realize that Hogwarts, one of the premiere schools in Europe, would be in the tournament? It wouldn't be much of a problem if the headmaster wasn't Dumbledore but since it was he would have to watch his every step. Dumbledore had been looking for him since Sirius escaped from Azkaban; he checked on Harry after the Black Lord's escape and when he found the boy-who-lived missing, started a nationwide search. Harry wanted to be found less than he wanted Sirius to be caught and thrown back into prison. He almost wanted to drop out of the tournament.

Since it was the end of the day, Harry raced back to the portkey room as soon as they were dismissed, and went home. Surely Dean Winchester would know what to do, but unfortunately it seemed as though Dean had left the portkey 'magnet' in their home near Bobby's. He probably went on a dangerous hunt, once more leaving Harry with Sirius. Harry swore and kicked the wall. Now was not the time for his dad to go off hunting demons!

"Sirius!" he cried, going for the next best option. He practically jumped down the stairs to the kitchen where he knew his godfather would be making dinner.

"Are you alright? What's wrong?" he asked, turning off the stove in case he needed to do something.

Harry didn't even notice Sirius' state, "I'm in trouble." He said, hiding his face in his hands as he crouched down.

Sirius's face immediately screwed up in a half horrified, half desperate look. He lowered himself to Harry's level and placed his hand on the teen's shoulder in a reassuring gesture.

"Whatever it is, Harry, I will do everything I can to help you. Did you knock a bird up?" he asked, making Harry finally look up with a look of disgust plastered on his face. He also threw off Sirius' hand.

"No! Don't even joke about things like that," Harry demanded.

Sirius blushed and looked away, mumbling, "I wasn't joking," he said, not even hiding his relief.

"Dumbledore's found me!" Harry said.

"What?" Sirius exclaimed, pulling out his wand, looking around.

"Well not yet, but soon enough he will!" Harry exclaimed, "Salem's participating in a tournament with Hogwarts and we're going to England first. It's only a matter of time before I'm shipped off to the front lines in their little civil war."

Sirius sighed and put his wand away, sitting down at the kitchen table, "You know that neither your father, nor I will allow that to happen to you. I'd rather face the dementor's kiss."

Harry looked up, "I'm not Harry Potter," he said, "I shouldn't have to fear his fate."

Sirius sighed, running his hand through his hair, "You…Harry Potter is just a name kid."

A/N: I know this is short but I figured you'd rather a short chapter than no chapter at all. Happy Holidays!


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Dean revved the engine of his Impala, anxious to get back to his son soon. He mentally willed the red light to turn green and when it did, he floored the gas.

"Dean," Sam called out, "Why are you in such a rush? Harry's not even home right now, he's at Salem."

Dean blinked, not even realizing how fast he was driving. He considered slowing down for all of two seconds before decided against it. He still wanted to get home fast, even if Harry wasn't there.

"Did you feel like Sirius and Harry were holding something back from us when they called yesterday?" Dean asked, more curious than anything.

Sam shook his head, "They seemed fine," he said, "Maybe a little stressed about the tournament Salem's about to participate in but that's it."

"Are you sure? Because something feels off…"

"You're probably just projecting your worry about the hunting world on Harry's world," Sam advised.

Dean laughed, looking at Sam as if he grew a second nose, "Clearly you're not a parent!"

"What does being a parent have to do with what I just said?" Sam demanded, completely bewildered.

Dean shook his head in amusement, "Sam, there's no projecting or separating any kind of worrying I feel, there never is."

"Dad always said to separate your life from the hunt," Sam reminded his older brother, "Or else risk your judgment being clouded."

Dean rolled his eyes, "If dad ever managed not to worry about us as his sons, then he was obviously not the father I thought he was."

"Why are we even talking about this?" Sam asked, clearly feeling bewildered.

Dean was silent for a moment before nodding, "Because my guts telling me that Harry's up shit creek without a paddle and with the waterfall up ahead, I need to worry."

They arrive in Sioux Falls about 3 hours before Harry was due back from school. Dean parked his beloved Impala in the garage, unpacked her, and calmly walked towards the house. He was savoring his last ignorant minutes before he pumped Sirius for information. Sam looked at his brother strangely, wondering if Dean was sick. The older hunter spent the last six hours in the car speeding, and pondering what imaginary troubles his son was in but now he was almost supernaturally calm.

"Dean?"

"Sammy," Dean said in a kind voice, "Don't!"

Sirius was watching the byplay with increasing worry. He didn't know Dean as well as he knew Harry but if he was right, he was about to get interrogated. He questioned the wisdom of forcing Harry to go to school. Sometimes being an adult was stupid. He watched as Dean entered the house, put away his things, took a shower and ate dinner. It was only then that the father turned on him with his sharp soul-searching eyes. He did not need to say one word before Sirius sang like a canary.

"So let me get this straight," Dean said, "My son is going to participate in a tournament that could and probably will expose him to a world that wants to sacrifice him as cannon fodder against a man that people fear so much they don't even speak his name."

Sirius nodded, too scared to speak.

Dean turned around so that Sirius couldn't see his face. They stayed in that position until Harry came home.

"Dad!" he cried out happily, "You're back! What did you hunt this time?"

Dean was silent so Sam answered, "It was a trickster killing people."

Harry nodded at Sam but looked at his father worriedly. He had never seen Dean so despondent. Even when Millie died Dean still answered his questions and at least looked at him. Dean took a few moments but finally managed to look at Harry and pull him over for a huge hug.

"Dad?"

"You're not participating in the tournament Harry!" Dean said quietly.

Harry frowned, "What?" he asked then turned to Sirius, "You told him?"

Sirius nodded sheepishly, "He's bloody scary mate."

"Dad," Harry said, reasonably "I have to compete. I already signed up. It'd look suspicious if I didn't, especially since you already signed my consent form."

"I don't care if you signed away your first born kid, you will not compete," Dean said, turning around, "I'm not letting you go somewhere where you'll get sacrificed to Moldy-shorts like a virgin to a pagan-god."

"Dad," Harry said, "I…"

"Harry," Dean said, "It's my job to keep you safe and by letting you go to England, I wouldn't be doing a very good job now would I?"

"I'm scared too dad," Harry admitted, "But I can't keep running for the rest of my life. You taught me that."

Dean laughed bitterly, "I knew that would bite me in the ass," he said to himself, and then he turned to his son. He sighed and took him to the kitchen. The father and son duo sat down at the table so that they were face to face. Sam and Sirius were left standing to the side so that they were there but not directly involved in the discussion.

"Harry," Dean said, looking his son in the eyes, "Why do you want to compete in this tournament?"

Harry looked down, fiddling with his hands, "I…I think….this is my chance to prove myself."

"Prove yourself?" Sam asked, unable to help himself from asking.

Harry looked between his uncle and father and sighed, "I want to prove that I can handle myself. I want to show you that I'm not a little kid anymore."

Dean scoffed at his son, "Harry," he said, "I don't care how old you get. You are a kid; my kid! You don't have to prove anything to me."

Harry rolled his eyes, "But I need to prove it to myself," he admitted.

Dean scowled, "You're a wonderful kid," Dean said, "Bobby, Sam, Sirius and I would happily tell you the same thing. There's absolutely no need to risk your neck for a silly competition…"

"You don't get it, do you?" Harry finally demanded, standing up so forcefully from his chair it fell back to the ground, "I'm almost an adult and according to the prophecy, I have to go back to England to fight Voldemort!"

Dean's expression looked blank, "What does the prophecy have to do with the Tournament?" he asked.

Harry snorted, "Everything," he said, "It's my way into England. It's how I can announce myself without drawing attention to myself. I can go there and fight…"

"So you want to compete in this completion because you believe in a damned prophecy."

"He killed my mother!" Harry roared, "I have to do something!"

"Lily would have never wanted you to sacrifice yourself to avenge her," Dean shouted, "She wanted you to be safe!"

"Oh what do you know?" Harry spat, "She was just a one night stand that got a little complicated."

Dean looked as if Harry had just slapped him, "Harry I..."

Harry shook his head, "I don't even know why I'm trying to get through to you," he muttered, "I'm in the Tournament, and that's that. You're either with me or against me on this. I don't have the option to back out anymore.

Seeing his dad's face, Harry's expression and tone softened, "I love you dad," he said, "But it's time I step out on my own. Stop thinking about me as your little magician, and realize that I've grown up into a man."

Harry walked out of the kitchen, not looking back to see his father's reaction. Instead he went to his room to make a list of what to pack for the Tournament. They weren't .leaving for another month but Harry wanted to be prepared. He knew that he needed books, weapons, and some basic first aid along with clothes, toiletries, and other necessary items. It would take him a while to choose exactly what would be the most useful and he did not want to waste a second.

He heard yelling downstairs and sighed before pulling out his cell phone to call Keely. She picked up on the second ring.

"Hey Rhee!" she chirped, "What's up?"

Harry rolled his eyes at his nickname, "Let's just say Daddy Dean isn't too happy with me going to this tournament."

Keely laughed, "What parent is?" she asked, "At least my parents know that the Tournament is kiddie-proofed so no one gets seriously hurt. Your dad probably thinks it's to the death or something. Did you tell him otherwise?"

Harry winced, "You think I should?" he asked, "Because honestly I don't think that's occurred to him yet. He just doesn't want me back in the UK."

"Ah," Keely nodded sagely, "He's scared of losing you."

Harry nodded, but after realizing that she couldn't see him said, "Yeah, that's probably it. But not in the way you're thinking." He said the last part almost to himself.

The next month was very tense in the Winchester Household. The only time Harry and his father would communicate would be during the screaming rows they had about Harry's participation in the tournament. Harry had done what Keely suggested and gave his father a list of safety measures put in place, but if anything that just made Dean even more adamant about Harry's non-participation. Sirius and Sam were at the ends of their ropes trying to mediate between the father and son duo, but the more they interfered the worse things became. As a last resort, a day before Harry was meant to go; Sam and Sirius called in the cavalry in the form of Bobby Singer.

"…go! I forbid it!" Dean shouted.

"For the last time," Harry exclaimed, "You can't forbid it. It's a binding magical contract. I have to go. And even if I could get out of it I wouldn't because I want to go!"

"I ought…"

"Alright!" Bobby exclaimed, dropping his bag by his feet as he entered the house, "What are you two idjits yappin' about?"

Dean and Harry turned to look at Bobby, surprised by his entrance. Dean then did a sweep of the room for his brother and son's godfather and saw that they were nowhere to be found, "Cowards," he mumbled under his breath.

"What the devil got you two so rattled that the mutt and Sam actually ran to my house with their tails between their legs?"

Dean and Harry both couldn't help but snort at the imagery Bobby provided them. It was amusing to think that two grown men were scared enough by them that they had to tattle to their father figure. Bobby wasn't laughing; instead he looked to Harry to explain.

"The International Magic Tournament is taking place in the UK this year and my school is one of the many invited to compete. Dad doesn't want me to go."

Bobby sighed, and looked at Dean for his side of the story, "It's not that it's a Tournament, but the fact that it's in UK at Dumbledore's base. I don't want him drawn into the war going on over there prophecy or no prophecy."

Bobby sat down, "Alright now let me be the first ta say that both of you are idjits! You've been fighting about this for what, a week?"

"A month," Harry corrected with a scowl.

Bobby's eyes widened, "Are you boys alright?" he asked, seriously, "Your relationship…"

"Bobby get to the point." Dean scowled.

"What? I'm worried, you boys never fight for longer than a week before one of you caving in. You're too close."

"Bobby," Harry interrupted.

"Alright," he said, "I think that Harry should go to the UK but not alone. Volunteer to be parent chaperones or send Black with him. He needs to do this Dean, look at the boy!"

Dean sighed in defeat making Harry grin, "But I will be coming with you," Dean insisted, "As will Black and Sam. You will not go into the damned country alone, you hear me?"

"Loud and clear dad," Harry exclaimed, "Thank you!"


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

It was storming outside; thunder booming, lightening flashing more often than not and the rain coming down hard. Harry stared out the front living room window in fascination; he'd always been captivated by this sort of weather. His dad and uncles were busy trying to figure out what they were going to do when Harry was in the UK and honestly, Harry never really liked planning things out. He was more prone to winging it. He took a sip of his cola and sighed. His father was overreacting in his opinion.

He was about to take another sip when he spotted something moving outside. He put the drink down and pulled his wand out of its holster. He watched the dark figure as it made its way to the front door. He held his breath, hoping that it would go away but that wish went unfulfilled with the door bell ringing. He waited for his dad to come to the door and hid behind it so that if the figure wanted to get the jump on whoever opened the door, he'd be ready to protect them. Dean looked at Harry, wondering why his son was acting so paranoid before shaking his head and chalking it up to the weather and his watching too many horror movies. He opened the door only to see the last person he'd ever expect.

"What are you doing here?" Dean asked, narrowing his eyes.

Harry wondered just who was at the door. The figure still had their hood up and at his angle, Harry couldn't see anything. He couldn't remember his father ever sounding so defensive and mad.

"I need help," the figure said gruffly.

Dean scoffed, "Last time I helped you, I was away from my son for longer than I liked."

"This time is different," the stranger insisted, "I've found him! I've found a way to kill him too!"

Dean looked a little less mad, "Prove it," he said.

"Dean," the figure pleaded, "Let me in. It's pouring."

Dean looked like he wanted to do anything but let him in but in the end knew he had no other choice. He widened the door and the figure stepped inside. He dropped his hood, revealing John Winchester, Harry's grandfather.

"Harry," Dean said, "Go tell your uncle that your grandfather is here and check on Black."

Harry looked at his grandfather curiously, not really remembering the man but did as his father asked. He knew the consequences of John seeing Sirius. From what he remembered about his grandfather he was more of a shoot first, ask questions later type of guy. Everyone knew Sirius Black was a notorious and dangerous criminal.

"Uncle Sam!" Harry called as he entered the kitchen, "Grandfather John is here."

"Dad?" Sam asked as Harry instructed his godfather to change into his animagus form.

"He's with dad in the front hall," Harry confirmed, "Says that he found it and a way to kill it."

"It?" Sam asked before comprehension dawned upon him.

Harry shrugged, and told Sam that he had no idea what it was. He never realized that Sam had already figured it out and was half-way out the door when he replied. Black walked up to his godson and nudged him with his nose. Harry looked down and almost laughed seeing Black cock his head like he usually did when confused.

"I think I'm going to call Uncle Bobby," Harry said, laughter still in his voice, "He probably knows exactly what's going on."

He walked to the counter and picked up his cell phone before dialing Bobby's home phone number. It rang a few times before the older man finally picked up.

"Harry," Bobby said as if he had been expecting him.

"Hey Uncle Bobby," Harry greeted, "Grandfather John is here. Says he's found it and a way to kill it."

Bobby grunted in acknowledgement, "Well at least all his hard work over the years paid off," he muttered sarcastically, "I hope loosing his sons, grandson, and friends was worth revenge."

It suddenly hit Harry. He knew exactly what the it, his grandfather was talking about was. He quickly thanked Bobby and invited him over but before the man could reply, Harry had already hung up. He raced to the living room where he could hear John, Sam, and his dad arguing and slid to a stop in front of his grandfather.

"You found the demon who killed Millie?" he asked, eyes wide.

"Yes," John said slowly, "He also killed your grandmother you know."

Harry nodded but internally it didn't seem that important compared to the death of Millie. She was going to marry his dad, they had been in love, and she was quite willing to be his mother. Somehow Harry found those who chose to love him were all the more important. His dad chose to love him when he arrived in America all those years ago. Millie chose to love him when she told him that she would be honored to be called mom. Sirius and Sam chose to love him when they met him, and his adoptive father chose to love him when he gave him the name Potter. The only person who loved him from the start was his biological mother and Harry knew she died for him so in the end she chose to love him as well. John on the other hand only cared for him since he was his son's son. He honestly never felt close to the man.

"Harry," Dean said, bringing his son out of his thoughts, "It doesn't matter."

John flared up in anger about to interrupt but Dean wasn't finished. He would not let his father continue his revenge driven talk, especially in front of Harry who was still quite naïve in some ways. He couldn't let John corrupt his son into thinking revenge was more important than anything else.

"Sure the demon killed Millie and your grandma, but we have more important things to worry about like Hoggarts and Doublebore."

Harry smiled in amusement at his dad, "It's Hogwarts and Dumbledore," he corrected.

Dean waved him off, "Not important," he said, "What's important is the fact that I have to concentrate on you right now. You do want to participate, don't you?"

Harry was torn between wanting to participate in the tournament and avenging the only mother he knew. He pondered for a moment, completely frustrating his grandfather who looked as though he wanted to strangle both his sons and grandson. Millie was dead. There was no way to bring her back and if there was his father would have done it years ago. Revenge was the only reason why John wanted to kill the demon and honestly Harry felt that killing the demon would have made a hollow victory. Participating in the tournament potentially could not only enhance his life with prestige but it was also fun and exciting and safe. He had no guarantees that he'd even survive the demon, why would he want to risk his life?

He sighed and after sending his grandfather an apologetic glance, he said, "Mille wouldn't want me to waste my time avenging her death. I think she'd rather me live."

Dean smiled, "She definitely would," he said and hugged Harry to his chest tight. He didn't show it but internally he was beyond relieved that his teenaged son understood what his grandfather had difficulty grasping. Revenge was not worth it if you stopped living.

"I'm sorry dad," Dean said, "Harry and I cannot help you. We have a tournament to prepare for and our lives to live. I loved Millie with everything in me that didn't already belong to my son and brother, but I will not become you."

John looked rather bitter. The only thoughts in his mind were of revenge and hatred. His son should want to help avenge his mother. That was the whole reason why he trained Dean and Sam to become hunters. He needed help.

"You're no son of mine," John snarled, "My son would understand that his duty was to me and my cause and not to his illegitimate bastard."

Dean glared at his father, "The only bastard I see here is you, John!" he said, pushing Harry behind him, "I don't care about your damned cause. Mom is dead, she is never coming back and I doubt she'd want Sam and I to waste our lives following some demon."

"What do you know?" John scoffed, "You don't remember her."

Dean laughed, "I know that she loved me," he said, "I know that she wanted my happiness above all. I know that mom would hate you for our childhood. I know mom would be proud that I got out and raised my son like she wanted me to be raised."

John suddenly slapped Dean. Time froze. Dean stared at John in disbelief. The man was harsh but he had never struck him. Sam looked at his father with both pity and resentment. He would not get Sam's support, especially not with the way he treated his family. Black rose to his feet and began to growl at John. He put himself between Harry and the man in order to protect the teen. He only hoped he didn't have to attack John because he knew no matter how much Dean protested, he still loved his father. John stared at his hand as if it betrayed him. He looked up at his son and looked at him pleadingly.

"Get out!" Dean ordered, "Get out of my house and never come back!"

"Dean, I…"

"You need to leave before one of us does something we might regret." Dean whispered harshly.

"I…"

"Now John!" Dean barked, "Leave!"

John nodded, completely docile. He walked towards the door, Black and his sons following. Harry was told to stay in the living room and he obeyed, knowing his dad was beyond furious and in his papa bear mode.

John looked at Dean, "I'm sorry," he said quietly.

Dean rolled his eyes, "Just get out," he said.

John opened the door and was about to walk out when he bumped into someone. He turned towards the person and was about to apologize when he saw the man's face. He looked to be in shock.

"Dad?" the figure asked, "What are you doing here?"


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

The silence was deafening and the tension surrounding them could have been cut with a plastic spoon. John was torn between staring at the figure in the door in shock and bracing himself for the onslaught of questions. Dean and Sam were more confused than ever, they didn't know why the figure was even there and were wondering if they heard him correctly. Adam was just confused as to what was going on.

"Adam!" he exclaimed not noticing anything out of the ordinary, "Hey! I'm glad you came. My dad had a few questions about the Tournament I had no idea how to answer."

His comment broke the silence. Sam and Dean immediately turned towards John and gave him questioning looks; well Dean's was more accusing than questioning. Adam was too busy figuring out what he should have known as soon as he learned Harry's last name. John looked as though he wanted to flee and never look back. All he wanted was just a little help from his oldest sons to avenge his dead wife; he did not expect the Spanish Inquisition from all three of his sons. He missed the days where he could tell Dean to jump and Dean's absolute faith in him would only pause to ask him how high. Harry ruined everything, making Dean so different; John felt like he didn't know him anymore. He glared at his grandson drawing Dean's attention.

"Why would you be glaring at Harry?" Dean demanded, "It is not my son's fault you're in this mess!"

Sam looked at Dean and sent him a look asking his brother to calm down. Harry looked around and decided a quick retreat would be best. As soon as he was at least 5 steps away from his family, he turned around and booked it. Sirius seemed like the safer option right now, even if he was slightly mad at him for telling Dean about the tournament.

John snapped out of his thoughts. It suddenly hit him that all three of his sons had found out the truth, the truth he thought he'd carry to the grave. He sighed and turned towards his youngest son. He was worried about him, not wanting to involve Adam in the hunter life.

"What are you doing here, Adam?" John asked, "How do you know Sam, Dean and Harry?"

Dean stepped in, "No way!" Dean snarled, "Adam doesn't have to tell you a thing. It's time for you to answer us not the other way around. Why didn't we know about Adam?"

John looked at his younger two sons pleadingly but in the end conceded to answer. It was the least his boys deserved. "I never wanted our life for my youngest son."

"What life?" Adam asked as Dean snarled, "So you decided to have two different families? One for whenever you wanted to play daddy in the suburbs and one for whenever you felt like going around killing things?"

"Dean," John exclaimed, "It wasn't…"

"How many Christmases did you miss with us because you went to play happy family with Adam? How many times did you leave us for weeks at a time, pretending to hunt but really not?"

"Killing?" Adam questioned almost to himself.

"No!" John finally shouted, "I never... I didn't…" John didn't know how to explain.

Sam stepped in, keeping the peace for once. It was strange for him to be the peacekeeper and for Dean to have issues with their dad. It used to be the other way around.

"Alright everyone," Sam said, patting Dean on the shoulder, "Being angry won't solve anything. Let's go to the living room and calm down. Dean why don't you go bring out some drinks for everyone and check on your son."

Dean looked like he wanted to continue but the moment Sam mentioned Harry he knew that he needed to calm down. The kid was definitely confused and to be honest, Dean knew he needed to remove himself before he did something he'd regret…in the future…the distant future.

He gave Sam a nod and briskly left the room to go to the kitchen. Harry was sitting on the floor in between AC, DC, and Black. He looked confused a somewhat upset. When Dean entered the room he looked up.

"I'm sorry," he said in a small voice.

Dean frowned, "Why are you sorry?" he asked making an effort to keep the anger out of his voice. It was John he was mad at, not Harry.

"I invited Adam over without asking you first," Harry said, petting AC, "I didn't mean to start a fight."

Dean sighed, his anger leaving making room for disappointment. He was disappointed in himself for exposing his son to his anger with John. He should have moved their argument to the garage or somewhere else where Harry would remain oblivious. He walked over to his son and after moving DC out of the way, he sat down besides Harry and put his arm around the teenager, bringing him into his embrace.

"It's not your fault," Dean said, "You didn't do anything wrong. Yes it would have been nice to know Adam was coming over but this is your home as well. You can invite whoever you want. No, this is all John. I'm mad at him not you, not Sam, and not Adam."

Harry nodded in understanding and Dean could feel tension leaving the wizard. He pulled Harry into a half-embrace once more before just having his arm over the teenager's shoulder.

"Dad?"

"Hmmm?"

"Can I ask you why you're so mad at grandfather?" Harry bit his lip nervously.

Dean felt his anger come back. It wasn't as intense but it was still there. He only hoped not to explode again. Sam was right to send him to Harry. The kid was the only one who could diffuse his anger as quickly as Sam needed.

"Not now my little magician,"

Harry glared at his dad, "Dad," he said, "Don't call me that. I'm 14 not 4!"

Dean smirked, "You'll always be a kid…my kid. I'll call you whatever I want to."

"But Dad…" Harry whined.

"Come help me get some drinks for everyone," Dean said, getting up, "And then I want you to go to Bobby's place until I call for you."

"Dad…"

Dean looked at his son seriously, "What did I just say?"

Harry gave his dad a stubborn look before sighing and agreeing. He helped his dad make some coffee and pulled the milk and sugar out. The two walked back into the living room, Dean carrying the tray with coffee and Harry the milk and sugar.

"Take Black with you," Dean demanded, "And your homework, maybe a change of clothes too."

Sam looked at his brother, "Where's Bug going?" he asked.

"Bobby's," Dean replied.

"Isn't he…"

"No," Dean said, "He came back a few hours ago."

"How…"

"He called to let me know he came back," Dean answered, anticipating Sam's question.

Sam nodded, "Alright," he said, "But you should probably call him again to make sure."

Dean rolled his eyes but did as his brother asked. Bobby, as Dean predicted, was only too happy to take care of his honorary grandson for the night. Harry came back with his backpack full of books and clothes. Dean could tell that Harry brought some things for Sirius as well.

"I just called Bobby and he's expecting you. Are you going to take the bus?"

Harry shook his head, "I'm going to skate," Harry informed his father.

Dean gave his son a hug, "Be careful," he said, "Stay by Black and go straight to Bobby's. I'll call you in an hour to make sure that you got there without problems. Do you have your phone?"

Harry nodded, pulling his phone out of his pocket so Dean could see it. It was fully charged and the ringer was at full volume. Dean nodded and gave Black a look before watching as his son left.

"Where were we?" Dean asked as he settled down in his favorite chair, taking a sip of his alcohol spiked coffee.

"Dad was just going to tell us everything we should know, right Adam?" Sam asked looking at his newly found little brother.

Adam nodded, fiddling with his coffee mug nervously. He didn't dare look at anyone unsure as to who was on his side. John had been lying to him as long as he could remember, telling Adam that he was a pharmaceutical salesman. Dean and Sam, while they were Harry's dad and uncle, were an unknown factor. Why should he trust them?

"I met Adam's mother in Windom, Minnesota. I came into the hospital where she worked as a nurse, after a hunt and we hit it off. Adam was born nine months later. I didn't know about him in the beginning. In fact I've only known Adam for 10 years. I didn't want our life for him so I kept him away from you two."

"What life?" Adam exclaimed, "What are you, a serial killer or something?"

Dean chuckled, "Something like that,"

"Dean!" John and Sam exclaimed.

"We are not serial killers!" Sam was sure to emphasize.

Dean rolled his eyes, silently disagreeing but said, "He's a hunter too."

Adam relaxed slightly but John looked like he was going to shoot something.

"He knows!" he exclaimed.

Dean nodded, "I needed to tell at least one of the staff at the school in case of emergencies. Adam was who I picked."

"You know you're not supposed to tell anyone. It's supposed to stay in the family."

Dean snorted, "Adam's family," he said.

John shook his head, "That's not the point. You didn't know…"

"You know what," Adam said standing up, "I should go. I don't need to be here, my mom is family enough for me."

"Adam," John said.

"I'm out of here!"

"Hey!" Dean cried, "What about Harry?"

"He's a great kid," Adam admitted, "But I'd rather things stay as they are."

"I'm going to tell him," Dean informed Adam, "I don't keep secrets from him. Will you accept being his uncle or am I going to have to tell him that his favorite teacher doesn't want him."

"Damn it," Adam exclaimed, "That's not fair."

Dean smirked, "We're family Adam," he said, "And the only thing worthwhile that John taught us is that family is everything. You can yell, you can cry, hell you can even run but you'll always be a Winchester."

Adam was silent before he left the house. Dean grinned, knowing that his half-brother had no choice but to accept that he now had two older brothers and a nephew. John looked despondent but Dean didn't care. John blew it. He was already on Dean's shit list but now he was number one.

"Get out," Dean said quietly.

John managed to snap out of it and looked at his oldest son with confusion, "What?"

"I told you to get out,"

"Dean…"

"Now!"

John looked at Dean before sighing and getting up. He walked towards the door and looked as though he wanted to say something but Dean was already busying himself with cleaning up the coffee mugs. Sam looked at his dad sadly but waved goodbye anyway. John slammed the door after him, and the door locked.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Dean was pacing back and forth, trying to figure out how to tell Harry that Adam was his uncle. Sam and Sirius had given up helping him, not liking the fact that Dean had practically bit their heads off for helping. Sam understood that Dean as still upset over everything that had just happened, but he did not need his older brother taking his frustrations out on him.

"Dad?" Harry asked, "Is everything alright? Where's Adam? He was supposed to tell you about the Tournament."

Dean sighed, "Have a seat Harry," he said, gesturing to the couch, "I have something to tell you."

Harry complied with his father's request, "Is this something to do with your argument with Grandfather?"

Dean nodded, "I just found this out myself," he said, "You see, Adam is…he's…"

"Dad?"

"Your grandfather has another son," he finally blurted out, "Adam is my younger half-brother."

Harry looked at Dean, "Oh," he simply said, "That's…oh!"

Harry didn't know what to say. On the one hand he was ecstatic to be related to his favorite teacher. He really liked Adam and was happy that the older wizard was family. On the other hand he saw what it did to his dad, the secret that John had kept. Dean was completely out of it. He had another little brother to protect, but John had kept them apart. Dean did understand John's desire to keep Adam out of hunting, but at the same time did that mean that he loved him more than he loved Sam and Dean? Didn't they deserve to grow up normally, not looking over their shoulders for a monster or the authorities?

"Dad," Harry said, "It's going to be alright."

Dean buried his head into his palms, "I just can't believe this," he admitted, "I have another brother, more family. How could John keep that from me…us?"

Harry shrugged. He didn't know his grandfather all that well and thus could not give his father an answer. He spotted Sam hovering by the door leading to the kitchen and quickly waved the newly discovered middle Winchester brother over.

"Are you alright Dean?' Sam asked as he claimed Harry's seat. Harry had already feld to the kitchen to make some food.

"Can you believe this?" Dean exclaimed, "I mean of all things John has ever done, this takes the cake. How the hell could he do this to us?"

Sam sighed, "I think he was just trying to protect at least one of his children."

Dean snorted, "He could have protected us all from the supernatural," he exclaimed, "He could have done something normal for once and not train us up to be hunters…to be killers. He could have acted like a normal grieving widow and raised us like kids."

Sam sighed, "He probably should have," he agreed, "But then again would you really want to chance Harry not being born. You met his mother while hunting."

Dean scowled, "That's not fair Sam," Dean exclaimed, "You know I'd give up anything for Harry."

Sam nodded, "Then think of it like that," he said, "You gave up having a normal childhood for Harry. If you never became a hunter, chances are Harry would have not existed."

Dean rolled his eyes, "If we're playing that game for all I know if I wasn't a hunter I would have still met Lily and instead of a one night stand, I could have fell in love with her and married her."

Sam gave him that one.

"You know what," Dean said, "I really don't care about us being hunters. I came to terms with that. It's the fact that dad hid our baby brother from us that really bugs me. We could have hid our past as hunters from Adam if John didn't want him in the know, but we still could have had our brother."

Sam sighed. Family, while important, was not as important to him as it was to Dean. He guessed it came from taking care of him since he was 6 months old and later on from having Harry. John made Dean think about family before anything else. Sam knew that if Dean had to choose between getting revenge for Millie's death and keeping Harry and Sam safe, he'd always pick the latter.

"I'm sorry Dean," Sam finally said, "I don't know what to say."

Dean sighed, "It doesn't matter," he admitted, "Not anymore."

Harry took that time to call his uncles and dad for food. He had made a salad. After everyone ate, Dean told Harry to start packing. They were due to leave tomorrow and Dean did not want his son rushing around trying to get all his clothes together last minute. He head to his room and packed for himself as well. He put some clothes for Sirius in his bag knowing that even though the man would spend most of his time as a dog, he still needed a change of clothes.

The next morning the Winchester-Black household woke up at the crack of dawn. They had an entire day of orientations and a flight to get through. Harry was the first to be ready, anxious to show his skills to the world. He wanted to make Dean proud. When they all arrived on Salem's grounds, they were quick to leave their luggage with everyone else's and they went to Harry's homeroom class. Upon seeing Adam, Dean walked over to him and apologized for their behavior the previous night.

"Don't worry about it," Adam said, "I get it. I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to blow up at John. Seeing you do it was rather liberating."

Dean smirked, "He went drill sergeant on you too I assume."

Adam rolled his eyes, "It's either that or mother hen," Adam admitted, "He thinks he knows me, but honestly I never really shared much with him."

"Dad!" Harry exclaimed, walking up to them, "The orientation for parents will be in the auditorium. Students are to stay in out classrooms since we already know what the Headmistress is going to be telling you."

Dean nodded, "I'll talk to you later then," he told Adam who sighed and nodded.

Dean left the room. The last thing he heard was Harry.

"Welcome to the family," he said.

Dean, Sam, and Black found seats closer to the back of the auditorium. The headmistress had explained the tournament in more detail to everyone and had told them about the mode of transportation. Apparently they were going to all fly on a magical airplane to Heathrow Airport before catching the Hogwarts express to the school at Kings Cross Train Station. Black looked rather excited about the announcement, but Dean just looked sick. Why were they flying? Weren't there other forms of magical transportation? After that Headmistress Sinclair gave them their itineraries and other important information. She told them that everyone from their school would be staying in the old Ravenclaw dorms for the duration of their stay at Hogwarts. She then asked for volunteers to take the students out on day trips around England. For many students this would be their only chance to visit the country and Sinclair wanted to make it as enjoyable as possible for her students. She also told the parents that their students would be auditing some of Hogwarts classes. The rest of their classes would be taught by their normal professors, only instead of their usual schedule, the students would have one class a day and that class would only be taught weekly. Their Healing classes for example would be held on Tuesdays for 3 hours and their Language classes would be held on Fridays.

Finally it was time to go. Some of the parents, including Sam, left for home. The rest had volunteered to come with the school as chaperones. Other than Dean there were eleven other parents who were coming to Hogwarts. The parents and students had another short meeting together about the rules and to set up groups. Luckily Dean was the parent in charge of Harry's year group with Adam. The group was given a portkey which took them to the small magical airport outside of Salem. Everyone boarded the plane and they were off only a half an hour later.

Harry stared out of the airplane window completely entranced with the ocean. He could not believe that after ten years, he was returning to England. He looked over at his dad who was gripping the arm rest as tightly as he could.

"Dad?" Harry asked, "Are you alright?"

Dean shook his head violently, not daring to open his eyes even to reassure his son. The man hated flying and even though the airplane was magically held up in the air, it did not make his fears go away. If humans were meant to fly they would have wings.

"We'll be landing in 10 minutes," Harry was quick to reassure his father.

"Oh god!" Dean moaned, "I'm going to be sick. We just left the airport 2 hours ago."

Black barked in what Harry assumed to be amusement.

"The plane is not going to crash," Adam assured Dean from his seat beside him, "It's almost impossible."

Dean somehow managed to glare at Adam without opening his eyes. Adam sighed and returned to his book. He was reading it for his thesis paper. Harry rolled his eyes and returned to looking out the window. The scenery had changed, allowing him to see England for the first time that he remembered. He considered sharing his excitement with Dean but seeing as the man was too busy praying, he decided to keep his enjoyment to himself. Unlike his father he loved flying. He only wished that the airplane was a broomstick instead.

When they landed, Dean was the first one off the airplane. He practically sprinted off of it and upon standing on solid ground he sighed in relief. Harry sedately followed, carrying his carry-on and holding Black's leash. Adam had taken charge of their group for the moment, and had led them all to the enchanted taxis while Dean regained his dignity.

They arrived at King's Cross Station within half an hour. The taxis were not unlike the Knight bus and were able to dodge traffic with ease. When Harry first caught sight of the Hogwarts express he felt awe. This was the train his other took at least twice a year for seven years. This was a small part of her life that he would get to experience for himself. Dean laid his hand on Harry's shoulder knowing exactly what was going through his son's head. They had discussed it at length and honestly the real reason Dean allowed Harry to participate in the tournament was so that he would learn about his mother and become closer to her.

Dean Winchester watched as his son entered the train, remembering back to when he spotted Harry walking towards him in that airport a decade ago. He wondered just what life would have been like for both himself and for Harry if they never found each other before deciding that he didn't care. Harry James Winchester was his son, and Hogwarts beware, he wasn't letting him go without a fight!

"Look out Hogwarts!" he said, "Here we come!"

A/N: Here is the last chapter of Daddy Dean. It's a relief to have finally come to the end of this installment and honestly I'm proud of myself for finishing it. Don't you worry, I'll be writing a sequel to this fic. I felt that the HPverse should have a seperate story from the superaturalverse. TTFN!


	29. AN

A/N: So I'm kind of going through a HPSPN writers block at the moment and thus am stuck in Big Brother. Not to mention I just started school again and need to get into the swing of things. Daddy Dean's sequel is probably not going to be up for a while. I hate to do this to you guys; I know exactly what you're going through. I wish I could write more, but… Maybe if you guys have some ideas, you could PM me and that might help kick start my writing again. Oh and Check our Mates if you can, I promise that it'll be rather tame in the relationship department.


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